THE SABBATH AND GOD’S PROVISION     

MEDITATION

Ever since the first quarter of the year 2020, people around the world remember all the difficult situations that have been caused by the pandemic. These moments remind us Christians of the time that God’s people, the Israelites, spent in the desert, when they wanted to go back to slavery in Egypt because they were hungry: “…Oh, that we had died by the hand of the Lord in the land of Egypt, when we sat by the pots of meat and when we ate bread to the full…” (Exodus 16, 3). God created the Sabbath as the last act of His creation, as a symbol for His grace and His providence for His people. 

In Exodus 20:8 God reminds us to adhere to the Sabbath, a day of rest for everybody, a day that eliminates every inequality in every part of life, especially for those who are part of the socially lower classes. God expresses His Love for us and treats all of His creatures equally. All of us shall be able to enjoy godly rest on the Sabbath.

In the desert, God feeds His people with a new type of food which literally translates to "What is that?“ It was food with a question mark, and translates from Hebrew as "Mann-hou," manna. With this food God prepared the Sabbath and He made it possible for His people to be provided for and to break free from their past in Egypt.

After Exodus 16:4, the people received a ration of manna everyday as sufficient provision for the day. The focus here is for the people to obey instructions and to move forward in a disciplined manner. We (the people in the desert and Christians today) receive daily through the Word of God both obedience and discipline. They provide us with the certainty of God’s grace in our lives. 

QUESTIONS FOR REFLECTION  

• Do we have "full pots" that we should replace with new food from above?   
• How has God provided for you with "new food" that you did not know before?   
• The daily dependence on God should be a reality for us Christians, and instruction and discipline are not always part of our lifestyle. Should we discover these elements anew? How?

PRAYER TOPICS  

• We pray for the persecuted Christians in this world. May they receive manna, the daily provision from God.  
• We pray for the faith of Christians with a migration background, especially for young people whose faith is being tested.   
• We pray that God raises up people like Moses (leaders) again in our Christian communities.

SUGGESTED PRAYER 

Lord, You took care of Your people in the desert. You fed, protected, and encouraged them. Thank You for the grace You offered the ones You freed from slavery in Egypt.

Thank You for us as well. You have freed us from living in bondage of sin, and You have included us in Your kingdom. You nourish us with Your word. You protect us and encourage us every day.  

We renounce going back to our "Egypt“ of the past and we turn toward You, Jesus. Help us to live out times of rest in Your presence, where You provide us with all the strength and boldness that we need to do Your will. Amen.

Joseph Kabongo, Former chairman of the African churches in Switzerland, Switzerland.