Heaven's Bread by Vicki Taylor

Exodus 16:13-15 - "…and in the morning there was a layer of dew around the camp. When the dew was gone, thin flakes like frost on the ground appeared on the desert floor. When the Israelites saw it, they said to each other 'What is it?' for they did not know what it was."

I was reminded of this verse this morning as I drove in as there was a heavy layer of dew on the ground, or maybe just a lot of moisture after a long rain from the day before. I love the way it sparkles in the morning sun. Everything just looks so fresh and green.  

One morning driving in, the dew was especially heavy. I could not see any color, just the white of the dew. I wondered if this is what the Israelites saw when they first saw the manna that the Lord provided for them. It was like the dew, but when it was gone, it became thin flakes like frost on the ground. I wonder if they were amazed and in awe over what the Lord had provided or if it was just “another” miracle.  

I decided to do a little research on manna, and you know how I like to dig…

Scriptures describes manna in Psalm 78:24&25 as the grain of heaven and the bread of angels. That’s really not surprising since it was bread. It had many flavors. To the young men it tasted like bread, to the elderly it tasted like honey and to infants it tasted as oil. Since they collected it every morning, they were able to eat it while it was still warm. Fresh baked by their Heavenly Father. Can you imagine?

Because manna came daily, it taught the Israelites to direct their hearts toward their Heavenly Father every day. This also lightened their burdened as they traveled on their journey in the wilderness. What a picture for us today. By turning our hearts toward our Heavenly Father every day, our burdens can be lightened as we go about our stress-filled day.

Exodus 16:4 tells us that they were to gather “just enough” for the day. He did this to test them to see if they would follow His instructions. And on the sixth day they were to gather twice as much for the Sabbath. Everyone gathered as much as they needed not even knowing “what it was.” Kind of sounds like us again doesn’t it? We collect things, gather things, hoard things, and stuff ourselves with things that have no meaning and leave us empty. Only to start all over again and still our hearts cry out for more. 

“What is it?”  Manna, the bread that came down from heaven… Jesus says, “Your forefathers ate manna and died, but he who feeds on this bread (Me) will live forever.” (John 6:58)  Let’s think about this … we eat the mystery with trust and we are nourished for another day – or we can refuse it and die. Jesus is our manna for today. He is the Bread of Heaven. Only He can fill our under nourished and starved souls.  

I don’t know about you, but I hunger for that manna. I need it…I crave it. In this hurry up, push and shove world we live in, full of distractions pulling at us from every direction, if we are not feeding on the Bread of Heaven daily, we will starve.  

Let’s make it a daily practice to feed on the Bread of Heaven. Begin your day with Him. Spend time in His presence. Soon your soul will know what you need by seeking Him instead of what the world has to offer.