Exodus 16:1–18
The wilderness was not easy. The Israelites were hungry, uncertain, and afraid. Their memories of Egypt – even with all its pain – started to look better than the unknown future they faced. And so they grumbled.
God’s response was not anger, but provision. Each morning, manna appeared with the dew, just enough for the day. Those who gathered much and those who gathered little found that everyone had exactly what they needed. When some tried to hoard more than their share, it spoiled.
It’s a powerful picture of God’s abundance: not an endless stockpile, but enough for each day. Abundance in God’s kingdom is not measured in excess, but in sufficiency. The challenge was not simply to gather the bread, but to learn to trust that tomorrow, it would be there again.
We live in a world that prizes accumulation and self-sufficiency. But this story invites us to another way: to receive today as gift, to trust God for tomorrow, and to live with open hands. That is where we begin to experience abundance.
I invite you to read through the passage a few times this week, and reflect with the following questions:
- Where do you find yourself longing to “store up” more than you need out of fear or uncertainty?
- How might practicing daily gratitude help you trust in God’s provision one day at a time?
- What does it look like to live with open hands, ready to receive today’s bread and share with others who need it?
As we reflect, let’s pray:
God of daily bread, you meet us in our hunger and our worry. Teach us to trust in your provision, to find sufficiency in each day, and to let go of the fear that drives us to hoard. Open our hands to receive your gifts and to share them freely, so that all may know your abundance. AMEN
