The people complained to Moses and Aaron, and God heard their complaint. I guess this is a case where the squeaky wheel gets the grease, for God sent the manna each and every day so that the people could eat.
But there was a catch. They could only collect as much as they could eat in that day, for any manna kept overnight would spoil. Except for Friday, when they could collect twice as much and save a day’s portion for the Sabbath, when they should do no work, not even to go out and pick up manna. This was a test of whether they would obey God’s law or not, and of whether they truly trusted in Him and His word.
We don’t always know when we’re being tested. It may be in our momentary reaction to something that offends us, or how we respond to someone different. But God is still testing us with the true Bread from heaven, to see who truly believes in Jesus and follows Him.
If you remember the previous scripture recounting for us the experience of the Samaritan woman at the well with Jesus, you may note some similarities. We have the obvious, where Jesus told her He is the Living Water compared to here where He says He is the Bread of Life. But there’s more, for there the woman asked that Jesus give her the living water so she won’t have to go to the well at noon any more. And here, the people asked Jesus to give them this bread always, for all time, saving them from having to do anything else to eat.
I think the most significant comparison, though, was made by Jesus. He told the woman that whoever drinks of the Living Water will never thirst again, and He told the people whoever comes to Him, the Bread of Life, will never hunger again. In both instances, Jesus is relating to the people in a way they could understand, talking about essential elements for sustaining their life, this life on earth. And then using that example to tell them that He is the essential element for receiving eternal life in heaven.
Then we get to a very interesting part. We’ve heard Jesus talk of being the Bread and Water of life, the food and liquid necessary to sustain us. Now He adds His flesh is the bread and His blood the liquid, and that we must eat of His flesh and drink of His blood in order to abide with Him, or else we will have no life in us.
Does this sound familiar? This echoes the words Jesus will speak while enjoying His last meal on earth with His disciples, the words we speak and hear each time we take the elements of Holy Communion. The bread is His body broken for us, the cup our covenant with God sealed by His blood. Eat and drink, in remembrance of Him.
I want to leave you with one last thought. When we say what we call the Lord’s Prayer, we ask that our Father God give us this day our daily bread. While this clearly brings up the image of the manna in the desert, it should also remind us of the true bread from heaven, the Bread of Life.
Yes, we need nourishing sustenance each day to maintain our earthly life. But right after Jesus was baptized by John in the River Jordan, when He was hungry and tempted by Satan to turn the rocks into bread, Jesus responded with scripture when he replied, “Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God.” Along with food, we need the word of God each day.
God’s word is in our Bible. Let’s make an effort to read our Bible at least a little, every day, to collect the manna from heaven, to partake of the Bread of Life. In the blessed name of Christ Jesus our Lord, the one true Son of God, the Bread of Life, the Living Water, sent to us from heaven by God that we might have eternal life. Amen.
Let us pray… Almighty God, thank You for sending us Your Bread of Life from heaven. Through Jesus, we can have eternal life. And thank You for our daily bread in our Holy Bible. It sustains us in our walk through each day on this earth. Sometimes, though, dear Father, we don’t take the time to read and study Your word. We don’t spend time in our Bible or even see or receive a verse of the day. Please forgive us these times, Father. And forgive us when we stray from the way You have shown us to live. Please help us reach out more into the world, serving You by serving others. Help us be more like Your Son Jesus, being more forgiving and merciful in our dealings with others. Guide us around any pitfalls in this life and strengthen our spirits to do Your will. And please help us do a better job of sharing Jesus with others so that they too may be saved by Your mercy and His sacrifice.
Father, please shield us from Satan as he attacks our faith, trying to make us his own. Help us be better servants, glorifying You in all we do so that the world can see You in us, through our deeds, in how we live. And help us remain strong, faithful, and true to You in all things, no matter what the world throws at us or holds out before us.
Please hear us now, Father, as we pause for just a moment to speak to You through Your Spirit within us, promising to be more obedient to Your commands, and seeking Your help to do so…
Lord Jesus, You are the Living Water and the Bread of Life. Through You and You alone, by Your sacrifice of Your flesh and blood, we have forgiveness of our sin and life eternal in heaven. Sometimes, Lord, we forget or ignore what You taught us about loving others, about how to love even our enemies. Please help us be more considerate and caring of others. Help us as we go about our corner of the world spreading the Gospel message. Help us share Your love by being more understanding, more merciful, more giving and forgiving of others, offering aid when we can. Not everyone believes in You, so it is our job to help them see the truth and believe. Give us the words to say, show us what to do to help bring the lost to You.
Lord Jesus, please shield our minds and our hearts from Satan’s lies and the world’s empty promises. Guide us around all the devil’s traps and snares. Help us see though his temptations and all the false teachings. Help us fend off his attacks. Please help us be faithful and true to You, putting all our trust in You, all our hope in You. Heal the hurts that separate and divide us one from another. Help us keep our focus on the things of heaven and the needs of others rather than on anything this life might offer. This we pray in Your blessed name, Christ Jesus our Lord and our Savior. Amen.