God’s Provision

Welcome to today's encouragement from Our Daily Bread. Our reading titled, God's Provision, was written by Nancy Gavilanas. The world was amazed when four siblings ages 1 to 13 were found alive in Colombia's Amazon jungle in June 2023. The siblings had survived 40 days in the jungle after a plane crash, which killed their mother. The children, who were familiar with the jungle's harsh terrain, hid from wild animals in tree trunks, collected water from streams and drain in bottles, and ate foods such as cassava flour from the wreckage.

They also knew which wild fruits and seeds were safe to eat. God sustained the siblings. Their incredible story reminds me of how God miraculously sustained the Israelites in the desert for 40 years, which is recorded in the books of Exodus and Numbers and mentioned throughout the Bible. He preserved their lives so that they would know he was their God.

God turned bitter spring water into drinkable water, provided water from a rock twice, and guided his people in a pillar of cloud by day and a pillar of fire by night. He also provided manna for them. In Exodus 16, 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. The same God provides us with Our Daily Bread. We can trust him to provide for our needs according to the riches of his glory in Christ Jesus.

What a mighty God we serve! Today's Our Daily Bread devotional scripture reading is from Exodus chapter 16 verses 11 through 19. 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 had 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. Then Moses said to them, No one is to keep any of it until morning. Let's pray. Dear God, thank you for the reminder of how you sustained the Israelites in the desert. Help us to trust in your daily provision for our needs, knowing you are faithful. We praise you for your mighty power and unwavering love. In Jesus' name we pray. Amen. Thanks for listening today. My name is Brenna Holzgla, and today's encouragement was provided by Our Daily Bread Ministries.