In Exodus God meets the Israelite’s need for food with “manna.” There are a lot of descriptions of what manna was, but suffice it to say it was food from God which fully sustained the need of the Israelite nation on their way to the Holy Land. The gift of manna came with some specific rules for acquiring it.
We notice in Exodus 16:4, another reason tied to the manna. God said to the people through Moses, “I will rain down bread from heaven for you. The people are to go out each day and gather enough for that day. In this way I will test them and see whether they will follow My instructions.”
How many times do we see events in life as testing? The Bible gives several examples of God testing Israel: Exodus 20:20, Deuteronomy 8:2, I Chronicles 29:17, Psalm 26:2 and 139:23. Are we, today, tested concerning our faith, as well as to strengthen our faith? James 1:2-8, tells us that the testing of our faith develops perseverance (verse 3). God says that by testing we develop not just perseverance, but maturity, completeness and wisdom. Look at I Peter 1:3-9, Galatians 6:4, and I Thessalonians 2:4. When we develop value in testing we will pray as the Psalmist did in Psalm 26:2: “Search me, O God and know my heart, test me and know my anxious thoughts.” It helps us in faithfulness with God when we remember Luke 16:10: “Whoever can be trusted with very little can be trusted with much.”
Thanks for taking time to reach and ponder these thoughts.