Food from Heaven

Welcome to today's encouragement from Our Daily Bread.

Our reading, titled Food from Heaven, was written by Lisa M. Samra. In August 2020, residents of Olten, Switzerland, were startled to find that it was snowing chocolate. A malfunction in the ventilation system of the local chocolate factory had caused chocolate particles to be diffused into the air.

As a result, a dusting of edible chocolate flakes covered cars and streets and made the whole town smell like a candy store. When I think of delicious food magically falling from the heavens, I can't help but think of God's provision for the people of Israel and Exodus. Following their dramatic escape from Egypt, the people face significant challenges in the desert, especially a scarcity of food and water. And God, moved by the plight of the people, promised to rain down bread from heaven.

The next morning, a layer of thin flakes appeared on the desert ground. This daily provision, known as manna, continued for the next 40 years. When Jesus came to earth, people began to believe He was sent from God when He miraculously provided bread for a large crowd. But Jesus taught that He Himself was the bread of life, sent to bring not just temporary nourishment, but eternal life. For those of us hungry for spiritual nourishment, Jesus extends the offer of unending life with God.

May we believe and trust that He came to satisfy those deepest longings. Today's Our Daily Bread devotional scripture reading is from Exodus chapter 16, verses 4 through 5, and verses 13 through 18. 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.

In this way I will test them and see whether they will follow My instructions. On the sixth day they are to prepare what they bring in, and that is to be twice as much as they gather on the other days. Now picking up at verse 13. That evening quail came and covered the camp, and in the morning there was a layer of dew around the camp.

When the dew was gone, thin flakes, like frost on the ground, appeared on the desert floor. When the Israelites saw it, they said to each other, What is it? For they did not know what it was. Moses said to them, It is the bread the Lord has given you to eat. This is what the Lord has commanded. Everyone is to gather as much as they need.

Take an omer for each person you have in your tent. The Israelites did as they were told. Some gathered much, some little. And when they measured it by the omer, the one who gathered much did not have too much, and the one who gathered little did not have too little.

Everyone had gathered just as much as they needed. Let's pray. Jesus thank you for being the bread of life and coming to earth to fulfill our need for relationship with you. May we share you with others who hunger and long for the fulfillment that only you can give. Thank you, Lord. It's in your name we pray. Amen. Thanks for listening today. My name is Alisha Reisinger, and today's encouragement was provided by Our Daily Bread Ministries.