Manna, Harvest, and Milk and Honey.
Memory Verse:
'Therefore go out from their midst, and be separate from them, says the Lord, and touch no unclean thing; then I will welcome you, '
2 Corinthians 6:17
Sermon Sentence: You can rest in the realization that in all the phases of life we may face, God is still the provider.
'Therefore go out from their midst, and be separate from them, says the Lord, and touch no unclean thing; then I will welcome you, '
2 Corinthians 6:17
Sermon Sentence: You can rest in the realization that in all the phases of life we may face, God is still the provider.
Day 1
Read Joshua 5
The writer of Joshua is hiding messages out in the open that are needed to understand the points he is making. You may think the point he is making is simply to tell the story of how it all went down, but there is much more going on here. He is telling the story in a very important way, linking the ideas of the past, baptism, Passover, circumcision and the Red Sea.
One part that I was noticing in this text was verse 9. Egypt was a strange spot in their past. For most of those that had recently experienced it and the generational pain from it, it was a dark spot. They lived in slavery and there was a lot of abuse and oppression, much like we understand slavery. Also, much like our context, even though we never actually experienced it, there are only a very small few that would not understand the shame and embarrassment that comes with that part of history. The Jordan River crossing was an incredible moment and at a place that sounds a lot like “to roll” in Hebrew, they made a lesson and a memory of the idea that God was, in this place, rolling away the shame that stained them from Egypt. The Bible uses the word “reproach” for most of our English translations. It is meant to drum up a type of mindset that needed to change in their new identity. They were JUST slaves, but now they were a nation blessed by God and following God. They had been enslaved and oppressed by those that wanted to take advantage of them, but that was being rolled away to a new life that was now happening on the other side of the miraculous walk through the stopped river, and when the waters returned, it washed away the past and rolled it off of them. Now, they were the nation of Israel!
How does this thought help you in what you think about the past and how you deal with it?
Why is this message an important one for us to know and see in the Bible and how does faith in Jesus mirror this?
How does this become your prayer today?
The writer of Joshua is hiding messages out in the open that are needed to understand the points he is making. You may think the point he is making is simply to tell the story of how it all went down, but there is much more going on here. He is telling the story in a very important way, linking the ideas of the past, baptism, Passover, circumcision and the Red Sea.
One part that I was noticing in this text was verse 9. Egypt was a strange spot in their past. For most of those that had recently experienced it and the generational pain from it, it was a dark spot. They lived in slavery and there was a lot of abuse and oppression, much like we understand slavery. Also, much like our context, even though we never actually experienced it, there are only a very small few that would not understand the shame and embarrassment that comes with that part of history. The Jordan River crossing was an incredible moment and at a place that sounds a lot like “to roll” in Hebrew, they made a lesson and a memory of the idea that God was, in this place, rolling away the shame that stained them from Egypt. The Bible uses the word “reproach” for most of our English translations. It is meant to drum up a type of mindset that needed to change in their new identity. They were JUST slaves, but now they were a nation blessed by God and following God. They had been enslaved and oppressed by those that wanted to take advantage of them, but that was being rolled away to a new life that was now happening on the other side of the miraculous walk through the stopped river, and when the waters returned, it washed away the past and rolled it off of them. Now, they were the nation of Israel!
How does this thought help you in what you think about the past and how you deal with it?
Why is this message an important one for us to know and see in the Bible and how does faith in Jesus mirror this?
How does this become your prayer today?
Day 2
(Today’s devotion written by Liz Neuschwanger)
Read Exodus 16:1-21
What an incredible period of time the nation of Israel is experiencing in this context with such incredible displays of God’s miraculous power: the crossing of the Red Sea, the bitter waters made sweet, and meat and manna from heaven. With God’s power on such vivid display, I have found myself asking, “Why can’t God act that way in my life?” (miraculous displays physically occurring in multiple instances in those people’s lives…). We’ll get back to that question in a bit…
This scripture has been a pretty good opportunity for some introspection and asking ourselves questions that are somewhat challenging about prayer and faith in our lives. We’re working on this, but maybe this situation resonates with some who are reading this…
There’s a theme of behavior by the Israelites that is not only interesting, but convicting. The behavior is complaining and unfortunately there’s a pattern of it. In spite of God responding each time they complain with a miracle, they continue to complain. Why? Human nature, I guess. This is the same nature that defines us currently and results in similar behavior that is commonplace today. But we don’t have to continue on that path. Here’s a thought: “What if we 1) develop our faith, and 2) ACT upon it?
We’ve been working on this, but still have much more progress to make. We’re talking and trying in our family to evaluate decisions through the lens of faith. But it’s challenging. This gets partially back to the question we asked earlier as to, “Why can’t God act that way in our lives?” We’ve been trying to more fully develop our faith by taking more action (stepping out). This is sort of in the spirit of the old adage, “It is easier to steer a moving car versus one that is parked.” So, we’re trying to allow that to help develop our faith further as we act upon it.
What action can you take to develop your faith, both individually and in your family? Could one of those actions be to prioritize spending time in God’s Word (reading, studying, praying) daily?
Consider this – if you don’t have the clarity of direction and connection with God that you’d like, what are you willing to do to change that?
How does this become part of your prayer today?
Read Exodus 16:1-21
What an incredible period of time the nation of Israel is experiencing in this context with such incredible displays of God’s miraculous power: the crossing of the Red Sea, the bitter waters made sweet, and meat and manna from heaven. With God’s power on such vivid display, I have found myself asking, “Why can’t God act that way in my life?” (miraculous displays physically occurring in multiple instances in those people’s lives…). We’ll get back to that question in a bit…
This scripture has been a pretty good opportunity for some introspection and asking ourselves questions that are somewhat challenging about prayer and faith in our lives. We’re working on this, but maybe this situation resonates with some who are reading this…
There’s a theme of behavior by the Israelites that is not only interesting, but convicting. The behavior is complaining and unfortunately there’s a pattern of it. In spite of God responding each time they complain with a miracle, they continue to complain. Why? Human nature, I guess. This is the same nature that defines us currently and results in similar behavior that is commonplace today. But we don’t have to continue on that path. Here’s a thought: “What if we 1) develop our faith, and 2) ACT upon it?
We’ve been working on this, but still have much more progress to make. We’re talking and trying in our family to evaluate decisions through the lens of faith. But it’s challenging. This gets partially back to the question we asked earlier as to, “Why can’t God act that way in our lives?” We’ve been trying to more fully develop our faith by taking more action (stepping out). This is sort of in the spirit of the old adage, “It is easier to steer a moving car versus one that is parked.” So, we’re trying to allow that to help develop our faith further as we act upon it.
What action can you take to develop your faith, both individually and in your family? Could one of those actions be to prioritize spending time in God’s Word (reading, studying, praying) daily?
Consider this – if you don’t have the clarity of direction and connection with God that you’d like, what are you willing to do to change that?
How does this become part of your prayer today?
Day 3
(Today’s devotion written by Pat Neuschwanger)
Read Exodus 16:22-36
In this passage, there is clear emphasis on the Sabbath and God’s provision, but also on God’s commandments and laws. We also see yet another example of God’s people not heeding his instructions (Ex 16:28). I (Pat) have been studying God’s Word with a group recently and the exercise has been nothing short of eye opening. It has required me to change the way I read God’s word, reading chapters at a time instead of just a couple of verses at a time (my past practice). This has really opened the group’s eyes to the fact that we (all of us as followers of Christ) can understand God’s Word.
Admittedly, some passages are deeper and have more context and technical meaning than others, but some are pretty “black and white”. This second half of Exodus 16 is one (in our opinion in my family) of those “black and white” examples. God’s people are told very clearly to follow His instructions. And further, it is upsetting to the Creator of the Universe (who loves each of us dearly, dare we forget) when we don’t follow His instructions. So, it seems, the “takeaway” here is pretty straightforward. It is to “keep holy the Sabbath”. But the learning doesn’t need to stop there…
Getting back to the reading and studying that is occurring with a group. It has been amazing the difference in understanding that takes place when we read God’s Word not just to finish a few verses or complete a chapter, but to try to understand (the context, the setting, the audience, etc.). In the group and in my family, we are learning to do better in that area WHILE we work to continue forward in developing our faith and acting upon it as mentioned in devotions earlier this week. Personally, this has resulted in some changes. I’m finding that I’m more comfortable talking with Liz about scripture. But not only that, I’m more comfortable making decisions with her for our family. To be fair, there are still challenges and gaps that we’re working through each day, but there is progress. And we’re humbled and thankful for that. We’re also excited about where and how we’re following God to glorify Him.
Is it laid on your heart (maybe by the Holy Spirit…) to make a change in your walk as a child of God? If so, we encourage you to change the time you spend and how you learn God’s Word by prioritizing time reading and in prayer.
If you’re not a follower of Jesus Christ, but are curious about this path, would you please reach out to the Pastor for guidance?
Are you keeping holy the Sabbath? If not, would you consider how you might change behavior in this area?
Read Exodus 16:22-36
In this passage, there is clear emphasis on the Sabbath and God’s provision, but also on God’s commandments and laws. We also see yet another example of God’s people not heeding his instructions (Ex 16:28). I (Pat) have been studying God’s Word with a group recently and the exercise has been nothing short of eye opening. It has required me to change the way I read God’s word, reading chapters at a time instead of just a couple of verses at a time (my past practice). This has really opened the group’s eyes to the fact that we (all of us as followers of Christ) can understand God’s Word.
Admittedly, some passages are deeper and have more context and technical meaning than others, but some are pretty “black and white”. This second half of Exodus 16 is one (in our opinion in my family) of those “black and white” examples. God’s people are told very clearly to follow His instructions. And further, it is upsetting to the Creator of the Universe (who loves each of us dearly, dare we forget) when we don’t follow His instructions. So, it seems, the “takeaway” here is pretty straightforward. It is to “keep holy the Sabbath”. But the learning doesn’t need to stop there…
Getting back to the reading and studying that is occurring with a group. It has been amazing the difference in understanding that takes place when we read God’s Word not just to finish a few verses or complete a chapter, but to try to understand (the context, the setting, the audience, etc.). In the group and in my family, we are learning to do better in that area WHILE we work to continue forward in developing our faith and acting upon it as mentioned in devotions earlier this week. Personally, this has resulted in some changes. I’m finding that I’m more comfortable talking with Liz about scripture. But not only that, I’m more comfortable making decisions with her for our family. To be fair, there are still challenges and gaps that we’re working through each day, but there is progress. And we’re humbled and thankful for that. We’re also excited about where and how we’re following God to glorify Him.
Is it laid on your heart (maybe by the Holy Spirit…) to make a change in your walk as a child of God? If so, we encourage you to change the time you spend and how you learn God’s Word by prioritizing time reading and in prayer.
If you’re not a follower of Jesus Christ, but are curious about this path, would you please reach out to the Pastor for guidance?
Are you keeping holy the Sabbath? If not, would you consider how you might change behavior in this area?
Day 4
Read Psalm 81
This Psalm is a hodgepodge of stories that are about God’s provision for His people over the years. It makes quite a few references to the memories of the past to help jog the memory of the reader. The point of the Psalm is to call out the reader to faithfulness and the chief reason for that way of being is said to be because God has always been there to provide for their needs. He calls out the provision of Egypt for their ancestors in the story of Joseph, but then also the provision to rescue them from Egypt when that situation turned into the oppression and slavery that it became. From there, he reminds them of the waters of Meribah in Exodus 17 where God made water come from a rock when they started to rebel against Moses.
The Psalm ends with the promise of provision with undertones of the water from the rock and manna from Heaven. This is the part that we get the idea from the song “Honey in the Rock.” The lesson in this Psalm is one worth our time spent in meditation: Faithfulness does not produce or demand supernatural provision, but in faithfulness you will be provided for. So make your aim faithfulness and leave the worry that can come from wondering about all the other stuff to the miraculous, ever-present hand of God, who knows your needs, cares about them, and tends to them.
How have you seen the miraculous hand of God provide in your life?
How have you seen the everyday normal provision from the hand of God that everyone else counts as normal?
What are five things you can find in your life today to thank God for that you have not thanked Him for before?
How does this become part of your prayer?
This Psalm is a hodgepodge of stories that are about God’s provision for His people over the years. It makes quite a few references to the memories of the past to help jog the memory of the reader. The point of the Psalm is to call out the reader to faithfulness and the chief reason for that way of being is said to be because God has always been there to provide for their needs. He calls out the provision of Egypt for their ancestors in the story of Joseph, but then also the provision to rescue them from Egypt when that situation turned into the oppression and slavery that it became. From there, he reminds them of the waters of Meribah in Exodus 17 where God made water come from a rock when they started to rebel against Moses.
The Psalm ends with the promise of provision with undertones of the water from the rock and manna from Heaven. This is the part that we get the idea from the song “Honey in the Rock.” The lesson in this Psalm is one worth our time spent in meditation: Faithfulness does not produce or demand supernatural provision, but in faithfulness you will be provided for. So make your aim faithfulness and leave the worry that can come from wondering about all the other stuff to the miraculous, ever-present hand of God, who knows your needs, cares about them, and tends to them.
How have you seen the miraculous hand of God provide in your life?
How have you seen the everyday normal provision from the hand of God that everyone else counts as normal?
What are five things you can find in your life today to thank God for that you have not thanked Him for before?
How does this become part of your prayer?
Day 5
Read Exodus 17:1-7
This is the story where the people started to turn against Moses. They had been delivered from slavery, but not all was going according to their dreams and hopes. I get that. I live in the place of disappointment because I mix my expectations up with my needs and begin to cloud out the reality of the provisions in my life. I don't want extravagantly, in fact just a little bit more of this would make it perfect. It seems kind of strange to settle in discomfort when I can clearly see that comfort is but a small step away from where I am at. That is the approach of the people here. They had been rescued from slavery but rescued and thirsty. Rescued surely means not thirsty, right? It would be pretty foolish to walk out of slavery and die of thirst when in slavery at least they were not dying of thirst.
That makes me wonder, have you ever felt like deliverance was going to kill you? The addict knows this feeling. “Sure, I get that I was not in a good place and was not really living a good life, but this recovery feels like death and I didn’t feel like this in the addiction!” Sometimes we forget that deliverance is God’s idea and gift to us. So we kick and scream in the moments of discomfort, forgetting to turn to God who provided deliverance and now surely also has the power to provide in this new moment as well.
How can you relate to this story in your life as you have wrestled with what you don’t have even as you are being rescued from what you didn’t need?
What do you think God was showing them by making water come from a rock?
Identify two places of discontent in your life right now and see if they look like this story.
How does this become part of your prayer today?
This is the story where the people started to turn against Moses. They had been delivered from slavery, but not all was going according to their dreams and hopes. I get that. I live in the place of disappointment because I mix my expectations up with my needs and begin to cloud out the reality of the provisions in my life. I don't want extravagantly, in fact just a little bit more of this would make it perfect. It seems kind of strange to settle in discomfort when I can clearly see that comfort is but a small step away from where I am at. That is the approach of the people here. They had been rescued from slavery but rescued and thirsty. Rescued surely means not thirsty, right? It would be pretty foolish to walk out of slavery and die of thirst when in slavery at least they were not dying of thirst.
That makes me wonder, have you ever felt like deliverance was going to kill you? The addict knows this feeling. “Sure, I get that I was not in a good place and was not really living a good life, but this recovery feels like death and I didn’t feel like this in the addiction!” Sometimes we forget that deliverance is God’s idea and gift to us. So we kick and scream in the moments of discomfort, forgetting to turn to God who provided deliverance and now surely also has the power to provide in this new moment as well.
How can you relate to this story in your life as you have wrestled with what you don’t have even as you are being rescued from what you didn’t need?
What do you think God was showing them by making water come from a rock?
Identify two places of discontent in your life right now and see if they look like this story.
How does this become part of your prayer today?
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