For persons who are participating in AA they have a saying. "One Day at a Time". They are so overwhelmed by their addiction that the only way to cope with their problem is to concentrate on one day only, not get burdened with what tomorrow will bring. It’s a good principle. It means that we take whatever the moment presents and strive to live in that moment.
This was true for the Israelites. They were in the wilderness, without food and God tells them to go out and "gather a portion for a single day". They were warned not to gather a surplus for it would spoil. The manna that God gave was good for that day. God provided what they needed.
It was not necessary to stockpile supplies or worry about tomorrow. All they needed for the moment was theirs for the taking.
One time there was a man named Max who was traveling from New York City to Philadelphia. He got hungry and stopped at a roadside diner. He was moved by the presence of a man who appeared homeless and hungry. The old man seemed very despondent and Max ordered a baked apple and had the waitress deliver it to him. Max left the diner and got back on the road. He thought to himself, "why did I give him a baked apple?" But, he felt good about the gesture and proceeded on. Later that evening Max was run off the road by a huge truck and ended up in a ditch. The driver of the truck did not see him and for hours Max sat in his car unable to move. No one noticed him down in the ditch until a young man spotted his car and called 911. Max was unconscious and they were so far from nowhere that the young man decided to take Max to his home. At the young man’s home Max finally came to and the young man said, My God, that was some fall you took". Max was escorted to the kitchen table and in front of him was a baked apple.
God provides for us but we are not always aware of it. If we could live one day at a time we would have far less stress in our lives. It is my experience that most people do not live one day at a time. Much energy is expended worrying about tomorrow. We stockpile goods and material out of fear of being without. We go bargain hunting, for fear of missing great deals. We actually feel guilty if we have to pay a premium price for something, punishing ourselves for passing up some golden opportunity. The bread from heaven is a gift. It is not something we work for. It cannot be stored up. What happened here is much like what Jesus talked about in the Lord’s prayer, when he said, "give us our daily bread."
This story is not about food. It is about despair, the anxiety of the Israelites of surviving. The Israelites are so anxious that their memories are distorted. They remember having enough food and drink in Egypt, but they have forgotten the abuse and oppression. And so they complained. Kind of like the "good ole days". We remember the good but not the bad. I was chatting with a friend about our days in the Navy. I could have been retired, but then I remembered why I got out. Too much waste, abuse, separation from family, living in some remote places, obeying orders, etc. But, I still lament over the missing retirement checks.
Like the Israelites, we associate glory with living in the splendor and wealth and prestige. This is nothing like the glory of living in the wilderness with the presence of God. Their bread didn’t come from the warehouses of Pharoah. It came from heaven. The wilderness becomes a place of God’s splendor, a place of nurture and safety. And the good news is that God hears our complaint and responds. And God responds in a way we have not known. This is what happened with the Israelites. This is a new kind of bread, one they have never seen before. Something like a baked apple.
The wilderness is a place between bondage and the promised land, the place where life happens. It represents the journey of life, living one day at a time, totally dependence on God for our needs.
I was helping my mother-in-law with some handyman jobs. Talk about the wilderness. I found myself stuck with handing a closet door. I kept saying to myself, "Where’s the manna?" So far I had not had a good day. Help came from an unlikely source, a man who is still recuperating from surgery. He made an important suggestion and had just what I needed to finish the job. Manna from heaven comes from places we don’t expect.
Two additional themes are central to this story. One is the importance of the sabbath. God tells them not to collect food on the seventh day. For on the sixth there will be enough for two days. Thus, the importance of resting a day, taking time off to give thanks for God for the other sixth. The story also models the importance of distributing goods to everyone. No one shall be without and no one shall have more than they need. The concept of sharing with neighbors and all being part of a community is very explicit.
It could be a baked apple, a little help or totally unexpected resource. Manna from heaven comes, but, unfortunately like the Israelites we complain rather than let a days provisions be sufficient for that day. I am not suggesting we shouldn’t plan. Planning is prudent and wise. But even when we do plan they are often modified or changed along the way. I am saying that manna from heaven exists for us each and every day. It is there for the taking. It is a gift from God. So the next time you find yourself in the wilderness, look for manna. Remember that God is with you ready to provide in ways you don’t expect.
Dr. Keith Wagner, St. Paul’s United Church of Christ, Sidney, Ohio