July 6, 2023 8:00 pm
Residents of Olten, Switzerland, were surprised by a shower of chocolate shavings covering the entire town. The ventilation system at a nearby chocolate factory had malfunctioned, sending cocoa into the air and dusting the area with confectionary goodness. The chocolate coating, harmless to both people and environment, sounds like a dream come true for chocoholics!
While chocolate (sadly) doesn’t adequately provide for one’s nutritional needs, God supplied the Israelites with heavenly showers that did. As they traveled through the desert, they began to grumble about the variety of food they’d left behind in Egypt. In response, God said He would “rain down bread from heaven” to sustain them (Exodus 16:4). When the morning dew dried up each day, a thin flake of food remained. The Israelites—approximately two million of them!—were instructed to gather as much as they needed that day. For the years of their desert wanderings, they were nourished by God’s supernatural provision in manna.
We know little about manna except that it was “white like coriander seed and tasted like wafers made with honey” (v. 31). Though manna may not sound as appealing as a steady diet of chocolate, the sweetness of God’s provision for His people is clear. Manna points us to Jesus who described Himself as the “bread of life” that sustains us daily and assures us of life eternal (John 6:48, 51).
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Welcome to today's encouragement from Our Daily Bread.
I'm Kirsten Holmberg and I titled our reading Chocolate Snowflakes. Residents of Olten, Switzerland were surprised by a shower of chocolate shavings covering the entire town. While chocolate doesn't adequately provide for one's nutritional needs, God supplied the Israelites with heavenly showers that did. As they traveled through the desert, they began to grumble about the variety of food they left behind in Egypt. In response, God said he would rain down bread from heaven.
to sustain them. When the morning dew dried up each day, a thin flake of food remained. Approximately 2 million Israelites were instructed to gather as much as they needed that day. For 40 years of their desert wanderings, they were nourished by God's supernatural provision in manna. We know little about manna except that it was white like coriander seed and tasted like wafers made with honey. Though manna may not sound as appealing as a steady diet of chocolate, the sweetness of God's provision for his people is clear. Manna points us to Jesus, who described himself as the bread of life that sustains us daily and assures us of life eternal. Exodus 16 verses 4-7 and 13-17 Now picking up at verse 13 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. The Israelites did as they were told.
Some gathered much, some little. Let's pray. Father God, thank you for providing for our deepest need in Jesus and sustaining us every day. In Jesus' name we pray. Amen. Thanks for listening today. My name is Kirsten Holmberg and today's encouragement was provided by Our Daily Bread Ministries.
Whisper: medium.en / 2023-07-06 20:11:32 / 2023-07-06 20:12:43 / 1
