Manna — The Food of Godly Champions

Exodus 16: 4–5 Then the Lord said to Moses, “I will rain down bread from heaven for you. The people are to go out each day and gather enough for that day. In this way I will test them and see whether they will follow my instructions. On the sixth day they are to prepare what they bring in, and that is to be twice as much as they gather on the other days.”

The Israelites had come out of Egypt and since they were a roving nation, providing food was a problem. How do you cook when you are always on the go? With this issue, God makes a deal with them — He will provide food and they will eat it as I have prescribed. Well, as you already know they complained about manna — though it was freely given. Let me help you out so that you can see the reasons with them.

Most times we criticize the Israelites without understanding their reality. We step out of time and judge them. I doubt if many of us — me inclusive — would have done better.

Let me contemporize what eating manna daily was like. Let’s assume your best dish is jollof rice. You love it and have told the whole world that you can eat it daily. For some esoteric reason that becomes your reality. And you are sentenced to eat it daily for 10 years. How would you feel eating jollof rice daily? My guy, you go tire. That is when you will know that you spoke figuratively and not literally. 😂

That is what happened with the Israelites with manna.

They were commanded to eat it, daily, for 40 years !!!!
So you see why they complained?
People wey dey chop cucumber and salad before😂

To be fair, manna was new to their Israelites. Manna was not their choice food. When you read the whole of Exodus 16, you will realise that they have never seen manna before. But that did not exempt them from the accusatory words they traded to God. They had seen the salvation of the Lord, in many instances and they needed to trust Him. He that did it before, can do it again.

Let me draw some lesson that I got from eating manna:

1. God’s plans were and are always the best — They needed to trust God. Manna was the best thing they needed. Nothing more, nothing else. This is because Manna was the food of champions. God provided it since they were in transition. You need to trust God’s provisions more than what you think you need. But it seems the Israelites were more interested in the acts of God and not the ways of God. The ways of God always require that you trust and obey.

2. Manna is eaten by faith — Think about it, they did not know what manna was before now. As such had to leave their “old and regular” food to eat this new food from God. By faith they ate it. Believing and knowing that since it came from God — the God that delivered us from Egypt — it had to be good. If we want to think about it, we would never eat it. It is the same with us, the walk of the believer is by faith. The just shall live by faith. You have to trust God to “eat” what He has provided and most importantly — be contended with what God has given. Others can eat other things but you can only eat manna. Child of God, what manna is God sending your way?

3. Eating Manna was drudgery — Yes they ate it day in and day out. It was non-stop. That is how the ways of God are. You need to read the scriptures, pray, give, worship, fast, forgive, love etc — non-stop. In as much as the things of God are in what looks like an infinite loop, there lies the power. This book of the law shall not depart from thy mouth. The things that make for life are done regularly — breathing, eating, bathing etc. Yes it looks like drudgery but they keep life going. Same for spiritual things.

4. There is a way to eat manna — Manna had to be taken daily. Why? Because that was the instruction of God concerning its consumption. Those who did not do as commanded rose the next day to see maggots and a pungent smell. The very thing God blesses you with can become a thing of regret. It is not because God caused it so, rather, you are not using it according to purpose and plan. Guess what? The same manna kept well when you took it on the day before the Sabbath. What was different? God commanded it to be used as such. Keep God’s directive and you will be fine. Everything has a use and purpose. Using them abnormally is termed “abuse”. Do not abuse what God has given to you freely. Use it as directed. Most importantly, use it to glorify Him.

5. Manna is given by God — God always knows better. For the fact that a thing is from God, should give you rest. Those kids are from God. Yes, they may not behave like they are from God but you need to trust the God that gave them to you. Your present place of work might be a living hell, but since God took you there — He has a plan. Pray for grace and enablement. The rest, you need to take it to God in prayers.

6. Manna was always fresh — Desire new manna daily. When God provides a thing, you need to use it His way. You need to pay attention to the directives, and you need to get updates. You see Abraham would have killed Isaac and told us all that he was obeying God. The death of Isaac would be blamed on God. And we would never know until we all get to Heaven. Just before Abraham was to slay Isaac, there was an instruction. Assuming he disobeyed that instruction or did not listen or was not interested in that, he would have done something awful, and we will blame it on God. Revelation has to be daily. It is God that told Abraham to sacrifice Isaac. At some point, that word (slay Isaac) became old manna. New manna came when he was told to use the ram. You see, old revelations can lead you into trouble. The walk with God is…..daily. Instructions are given daily.

7. Eating Manna creates a dependency on God — God has told you from day one that He is a jealous lover. He wants you to rely on Him. He is not ashamed to tell you so. He’s never hidden that from you. And that is the way to go. We must do what He says, when He says it, how He says it. When He says eat manna, do not desire any other thing. Just eat the manna and be thankful. Why? Because He always knows what He is doing. And all the time, He is doing it for your good. Trust Him. God’s ways are both superior and good. Those who eat manna can only get it from God. Since you can only get it from God, you need to depend on Him daily for manna.

8. In Consistency lies the power — You cannot be tired of manna. You have to eat it again and again and again and again. Same with God’s word. You have to read it again and again and again. “For man shall not live by bread alone but by every word that proceeds from God’s mouth”. Consistently eat the manna of God and you will see a difference in your life and “spiritual muscles”. Oh, that happen to the Israelites. They ate the food that kept them for 40 years without diseases. That is what the food from God does. It keeps and preserves you. Amen.

9. Manna has advantages — You see that their shoes did not wobble for the forty years of trekking neither did they outgrow their clothes. I dare say it was based on what they were eating. Add to that — none was feeble in their midst. Do what God says you should do and leave the “care-taking” to Him. He always knows better. They had to eat with supernatural provisions because, without it, they would have spent so much time looking for food. Same thing the good Lord did with clothing. God made provision ahead of time.

10. Eat Manna With Thanksgiving — That is the attitude. Do not complain about what your neighbours are eating or having. Do not complain about eating the same thing daily. Manna creates contentment and most importantly — by eating manna, you will not be scared of the giant of the land. When you are used to eating manna, giants will not scare you. Because you are used to God’s provisions. Yes, live on manna as God commanded because it has many advantages that you know not of.

I will summarise the learning from manna…

It is given by God. It is taken daily. It cannot be stored. Stored manna turns to worms. Old revelations can lead you into trouble.

We take Manna because God commanded it.
We do not know whether it is or it is not balanced diet. It is taken by faith.

You may think of manna as God’s experiment. However, God’s experiments do not fail. You are likely not to like it but like bitter drugs that heals you, you take it knowing that it will do you good. Manna is not jollof.

You do not take it for excitement. You take it because it will satisfy you. Why will it satisfy? Because God gave it.

Manna showed thoughtfulness and the care of God — How can a roving nation eat?

Just as eating manna was good for the Israelites many years ago.

God’s ways are still good for you today.

His word is both timely and timeless.

It is the cure for the condition of man and no good things shall the Lord withhold from thee even if it has to come like manna. Never ever forget that …….manna is the food of champions.

#Selah

Regards,

Gabriel E. Omin