When the Israelites left Egypt, they wandered in the wilderness for many years. There was not much that could be consumed in that desert land, so the Lord gave them a very special food to eat called manna. (Exodus 16:31)
Every day the Lord would rain this manna from heaven and it would litter the ground. The Israelites were then free to gather enough to eat, this is how they were sustained whilst in the wilderness. God has also given us manna to sustain us as we walk in the wilderness of life, this manna is His Word.
The Word of God is Our Manna
The Word of God is our bread from heaven; our manna. This is what replenishes our souls and gives us strength (Psalm 119:28); it is what feeds our spirits. In fact it is what fed even Jesus’ spirit.
After Jesus had been in the wilderness for forty days, without food and drink, he was very hungry. Satan approached Him in this state and challenged Him saying “If you are truly the Son of God, command that these stones become bread.” Jesus replied to him and said ‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God.’
Jesus forwent the temptation of food and trusted instead that the Word of God would keep him alive. How profound is that? It means that we too, do not live by bread alone. It is not food alone that sustains us or that allows our bodies to function and stay healthy. But it is every word that proceeds from the mouth of God. And where are these words found? In the Word; our manna.
We Must Gather Manna Daily
It is through the manna of the Word that the Lord nourishes our bodies and souls. This is also how He speaks to us and gives us revelation about our lives. But this nourishment and indeed the things He speaks and reveals are not a once off thing. You will realise this when you look again at the Israelites.
When God gave the Israelites manna He also gave them clear instructions. He told them that the manna was not to be kept until the next day, but was to be gathered daily. (Exodus 16:4) Just as the Lord instructed the Israelites to gather a quota of manna every day. We too are to get fulfilment and gather truths from the Word, daily.
God Has a Fresh Supply of Manna Every Day
God desires to give us fresh revelation and speak new things to us every day. He desires to replenish our souls and give us strength, every day. Therefore we must not fall into the trap of living off of yesterday’s revelations and truths.
The Israelites did this when they failed to obey God’s command to collect their manna daily. Some of them did not trust that God would supply more manna and saved it until the next morning. Guess what happened? It bred worms and stank. (Exodus 16:20)
There are things God will reveal to you in every day that are just for that day, and then when tomorrow comes He has something new in store. That is why you need to turn to the manna of the Word daily. God has new grace and guidance for you each day. He has a fresh stock of life-giving manna to feed your soul and spirit.
If you insist on holding onto yesterday’s supply and refuse to trust God to supply you with more, it will be detrimental. You will stall your spiritual growth and also hinder your relationship with God.
Manna Keeps Us in Fellowship With God
The manna of the Word is also what keeps us in communion and fellowship with God. So, to keep our relationship with God vibrant, we need to feed from it daily.
God is our father and we are His children. He desires to supply our needs (Philippians 4:19) every day but He also desires to spend time with us every day. The Lord wants us to come to Him daily, and simply receive the love He has poured out on us. (Romans 5:5) He doesn’t want us to only turn to Him when times are tough or when we need something; neither does He want to feed our spirits only once we have run dry.
God wants to keep us constantly filled and sustained. But for all this to take place, we too have a part to play. We must feed daily on the manna of the Word. This way we will keep ourselves rooted in God’s love. Then, as we constantly feed on His grace and goodness, we will be fulfilled and nourished, daily.
Why We Need Daily Manna
We need daily manna if we are to thrive as Christians. The manna of the Word is what will keep our souls filled and keep us in fellowship with our heavenly Father. It will sustain us we walk through life’s desert land. So feed on the manna of the Word, and do it daily. This will ensure that no matter what comes your way, you will be filled and strengthened every day.
