Real Hope: God the ProviderSample

You Are Seen

This story in the book of Exodus is a powerful reminder of God’s heart. He provided ‘bread from heaven’ in the wilderness after seeing His people’s struggle to come to terms with the uncertainty that now awaited them as they wandered the Desert of Sin following their exodus from Egypt. Instead of punishing them for their grumblings, God chose to show them time and time again that as they walked the wilderness they were not walking it alone.

When you’ve stepped out of oppression and walked into freedom, as the children of Israel did, the new wide-open spaces can feel far scarier than the familiar walls that surrounded you for so long. This moment of provision in Exodus was more than just providing food. It was a sign from God that He was with them and that they could rely on His provision as they journeyed into the land He had promised them long ago.

In verse 16, Moses says to the children of Israel, ‘Everyone is to gather as much as they need’ and later on in the chapter when people tried to gather more, they found that they could only gather what they needed. God’s provision was not based on who had the bigger basket but on what everyone individually needed. No more. No less. There are always areas in our lives where we need God’s provision and as I read this story I’m reminded that God sees us each individually and knows exactly what we need.

Written by LUCY WEIL