It’s been month and a half after the Israelites escaped Egypt, and everyone is getting tired and irritated. The people complain to Aaron and Moses that they’d be better off dead in Egypt where at least they ate from meat pots and had endless bread rather than starve with you in this wilderness. In less than two months, they were comparing slavery to The Olive Garden. 

God told Moses that he was going to feed them with bread from heaven. Also he was going to test the people’s ability to follow his law. Moses and Aaron told the people that when they complained against them, it was actually against God. God said he would be providing them both meat and bread. 

In the evening, a large flock of quail flew in and everyone was able to catch some and cook it for dinner, then in the morning there was dew. When the dew dried there were flakes all over the ground. The people asked what it was and Moses told them it was food to eat. They were each to gather an omer, about a half a gallon, every day in the morning to eat. Each person was to collect just enough for that day, and twice as much on Fridays. They could bake or boil it. If they waited too long to gather it, it would melt. If they tried to hoard it, it would breed worms and stink.

For the six days there was food, but none on the seventh. Despite being warned to prepare, some people got up to find no flakes on the Sabbath. Others tried to save much more, but it didn’t last. Not everyone was good at following directions. 

They called the food “manna.” It was small, white and tasted like wafers with honey. The Lord instructed Moses to keep some in a jar to remind them of His provision while they were in the wilderness. This would be their staple diet for the next forty years. 

Complaining comes so easily, that we forget how far we’ve come. The other day I was driving to get the kids, I saw the sun was shining, the sky was clear blue and all the leaves in the trees were red and gold. God reminded me that he had provided us everything we need. We have shelter, food, transportation, peace and each other. I needed to save that feeling in the jar of my heart for the inevitable dark and rainy day of winter so I don’t lose hope.