July 30, 2018
Exodus 16:2-4…“Then the Lord said to Moses, ‘I am going to rain bread from heaven for you, and each day the people shall go out and gather enough for that day. In that way I will test them, whether they will follow my instruction or not.’” vs. 4
The story of the Exodus, Israel’s defining historical narrative, was passed from generation to generation for hundreds of years. Every child knew that their ancestors had been released from bondage by the hand of the Lord and had wandered through the wilderness through forty years of privation and provision. In the process, the people had learned an important truth: their greatest test would come, not in the times when they had nothing, but in the periods of extravagant blessing. So it goes for us! Like them, we tend to complain about scarcity and regularly make our laments known to God. We crave abundance and love it when prosperity rains down in our lives. This text reminds us that material blessings are always a test of our faithfulness, and too often we end up failing the test. We get more than we deserve and immediately want more, and our greed blinds us to God’s intentions. Instead of gladly sharing what we have received, we quickly turn to hoarding and putting our own needs first. Instead of learning from the experiences of those who have gone before us, we repeat their errors, and our blessings often become a curse.
Thought for the Day: How have good times tested me?
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