The Wilderness and Hunger – Day 2

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…” ~Exodus 16:4

Today’s passage tells us about God’s chosen people, the Israelites after they had been rescued from Egypt. The Bible tells us in Exodus 16:1-3, “The whole Israelite community set out from Elim and came to the Desert of Sin, which is between Elim and Sinai, on the fifteenth day of the second month after they had come out of Egypt.  In the desert the whole community grumbled against Moses and Aaron. The Israelites said to them, “If only we had died by the Lord’s hand in Egypt! There we sat around pots of meat and ate all the food we wanted, but you have brought us out into this desert to starve this entire assembly to death.” It did not take long for the grumbling and complaining to start, they had already forgotten all the pain and punishment Pharaoh had placed upon them. We see God’s love for His people in verse 4, which is our highlighted verse of the day, God will rain bread down upon His children as nutrition every single day and God gave them a single specific instruction to follow, to only gather enough bread to eat for the day. Sounds simple enough, right(?). See Exodus 16:20…
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage?search=Exodus%2016:20&version=NIV

God’s Grace, Mercy and Forgiveness is greater than our sins, Amen! I am no different from the Israelites, I get bored, I think I know best at times…we are all sinners. God loves His children, you are a child of God and He is the Great provider! Lent is a time of reflection, confession and reconciliation. Lent is a time to earnestly seek God’s Will in our lives. Many people practice fasting as a part of their journey through Lent. Our author today shared that not all people can participate in the fast of food due to some basic health factors and she suggest practicing other methods such as making donations of time or money to a specific cause in your neighborhoods or an issue around the world, a single person’s input can do amazing things. A small pebble compared to a large lake seems ridiculous but it’s not the size that matters, one small pebble causes ripples that affect the entire lake. So if a single pebble can generate movement, can you imagine what would happen if 10 pebbles were thrown in the lake! Don’t ever think you are insignificant, you absolutely made a difference! Some people do volunteer work as part of their Lenten journey, think about causes that are heavy on your heart, pray about it and then prepare to act as God leads you. Just as the pebble, though it is small creates big results; so too can every act of kindness you offer others. These acts of kindness can be as simple as holding a door open, saying “thank you” and “you’re welcome!” Some choose “Paying it forward” paying for someone’s bill in line behind you at a fast food drive through or paying another’s bill while sitting at a restaurant, buying a movie ticket for someone in line, the list is endless. And, if you find yourself on the receiving end of a blessing say thank you when you can and always give God the praise and glory. Lent is also a time to think about Jesus’ ministry and His love for all People, He came to earth, to be born and die so that we could be reconciled with God.

Breath Prayer: God, our Bread of Life, hear all the cries of those who hunger. ~Amen!

~Blessings and Peace~