Food from Heaven

If you or someone you love served in the military, you may be familiar with the acronym MRE, “Meal, Ready to Eat.” In 1963, the Department of Defense began developing a food ration that would utilize modern food preparation technology to create a lighter version of canned goods. The dehydrated meals are stored in pouches and accompanied by a flameless heater that allows meals to be prepared and served no matter the conditions.

For the Israelites, finding daily rations was becoming increasingly difficult. Having fled Egypt, their supplies were running low. Time spent on the journey meant that what was left was probably inedible. How could they continue without nourishment? God took notice when the Israelites grumbled.

There is no doubt that God heard His people, for He appeared to them in a cloud. He informed Moses that He would supply their needs with quail in the evening and manna in the morning (v. 12). The manna, a sweet, honey-like grain, would carpet the desert floor each morning and could then be ground into fresh bread. What an amazing gift from God!

God also gave a few restrictions. First, they were not to hoard the supplies, keeping extra for themselves. Rather they were to believe that God would be faithful and that He would daily supply their needs—which He did for 40 years (v. 35). If they kept extra, it would become infested with maggots and rot (v. 20). Of course some did not listen, did not trust God, and hid supplies. The second rule was that they were not to gather manna on the Sabbath. We must understand God’s faithfulness. He can and does meet the needs of His people. He is reliable and true.

Pray with Us

Again, we lift up to God our Campus Post Office staff: Richard Tatina, Samuel Ramos, and Victor Perez. We are thankful for this team’s Christlike attitude, despite handling a great deal of mail and busy days at the office.

BY Jamie Janosz

Jamie Janosz serves as a content development manager for Moody Bible Institute. She writes monthly devotionals for Today in the Word and has published non-fiction essays with Christianity Today’s Her.meneutics blog. Recently Jamie wrote a book titled When Others Shuddered: Eight Women Who Refused to Give Up (Moody Publishers). Jamie studied theology and writing at Moody Bible Institute, Columbia College, and Illinois State University. She lives on the Atlantic coast of Florida with her husband, Milt, and daughter, Sabrina.