Exodus 16:18 (ESV) -- But when they measured it with an omer, whoever gathered much had nothing left over, and whoever gathered little had no lack. Each of them gathered as much as he could eat.

The feeding of Israel in the wilderness is one of the greatest miracles in all the Bible. It is a miracle that God performed for 40 years straight. The people of God were fed daily—minus Saturdays—and had to trust God to keep doing it. This created a dependence on God that we would think would form them into the most faithful and trusting people in the world. Yet they struggled. At times, they longed to be back in slavery in Egypt, an unbelievable thought.

Our passage today shows us how precise and generous God’s provision was for Israel. We see they had more than what they needed. We read in Exodus, “But when they measured it with an omer, whoever gathered much had nothing left over, and whoever gathered little had no lack. Each of them gathered as much as he could eat.”

Nobody went without. Those with smaller families gathered less than those with larger families, yet everyone had plenty. In fact, it says that they all gathered as much as they could eat. God didn’t limit their diet. His power wasn’t restricted to provide the bare minimum. He blessed them. They could eat all they wanted. God didn’t give skimpy blessings. 

The same is true today. God is a great provider for us. He doesn’t give us just enough to survive but blesses us in abundance. We should recognize that all we have comes from Him. We should also recognize that He could give us far less. It isn’t like we deserve all His goodness toward us, just look at the Israelites. We are not less obstinate and hard-headed. Yet God in His infinite kindness blesses richly. Let’s live today recognizing the goodness of God in our provisions, and let’s praise the One with outstretched hand, giving us all we need and more.

Reflection & Journal:

- What does the provision of manna in the wilderness teach us about God’s ability to provide?

- How much food were the Israelites able to gather? What does this say about the nature of God’s blessing?

- What does this passage teach us about God’s character and nature? How should it be applied to our lives now?

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