Modern Day Manna
Recently I've tried to get back into reading a book by Ann Voscamp titled "One Thousand Gifts". A friend from a mom group recommended I read the book while I was struggling with a miscarriage in early 2013. I've tried several times to make it through the book and get side tracked with another book, or life, or any other excuse I could muster up. In an attempt to focus more on the book and the value it could add to my life, I checked out the audio book online and am listening to it while reading it. This has been a game changer for me. Voscamp actually reads the audio book, so words that get lost on a page regain their meaning in her voice.
While Voscamp is considered a Christian writer, I encourage those who don't believe to read it, along with those who are trying to break out of a relationship rut with God. She says things aloud (or on paper) that every person has asked when faced with a dark time in their lives. This book really dives deep into the human emotions of loss, hurt, anger, and ultimately questioning God. One of the key points in this book has been lingering in my mind. Before I get to that, let me refresh some minds, maybe even enlighten those who are not familiar with this story. If you're not Christian or religious, please indulge me and continue reading.
In the book of Exodus, the Israelite's are freed from Egypt by Moses. This is the part where history repeats itself currently. While traveling the Israelite's begin to whine and complain. They turn against Moses and began to resent his freeing them. In their minds they at least had more than plenty of food to eat and more than plenty to drink while under Pharaoh's enslavement. God spoke to Moses and told him he would "rain down food from heaven". Each morning the Israelite's were to wake up, gather enough of this food for the day, prepare it, and eat it. They were not to leave any left over for the next day, as it would not be any good. The only exception was the day before the Sabbath. The Israelite's were to collect twice as much so they could prepare their food for the Sabbath. Moses told the Israelite's that this was happening because of the complaining. Even though the complaints were aimed at Moses, they were really complaints about God. This food is referred to as manna.
In Voscamp's book she makes a reference to our dark times being a form of manna. The moral of the Biblical story was that God wanted his people to fully rely on Him. It may not "taste" ideal and it sure isn't comfortable, but God doesn't shape us in comfort. He uses these dark times to draw us to fully rely on Him to get us through the storm. When bad things happen we always ask "why me?" I know in the last year alone, I've asked that many times. I've learned that these storms are defining moments in my life, in my relationship with God, and sometimes in my relationships with other people.
It's easy to forget to maintain a relationship with God when things are going good. Sure we give thanks here and there, but do we talk to God as much during the good times as we do during the dark times? An exercise Voscamp started was to make a list of 1,000 things that God gives us as gifts that we often times don't even consider a gift. (Spoiler alert: After she got to 1,000, she continued on) I decided to start the same exercise in hopes that I could give God thanks more and drive out the negative "never fully content" mentality that rears it's ugly head from time to time. One of my list additions was the smell of lilies. When my Great-Grandma died there were tons of lilies at her funeral. They were one of her favorite flowers. Any time I smell lilies I think of her.
God created manna to force the Israelite's to fully depend on him. I agree with Voscamp that God gives us manna to draw us back to him. He wants to make sure we are still relying on the promises He made to us. When I start feeling like I am getting more than my fair share of manna, I am now pushing myself to go to my list of gifts. Nothing pushes out negativity like a thankful heart. Nothing puts Satan in check like a thankful and content heart. Manna may not always be ideal, but God never promised us that this life would be easy.
While Voscamp is considered a Christian writer, I encourage those who don't believe to read it, along with those who are trying to break out of a relationship rut with God. She says things aloud (or on paper) that every person has asked when faced with a dark time in their lives. This book really dives deep into the human emotions of loss, hurt, anger, and ultimately questioning God. One of the key points in this book has been lingering in my mind. Before I get to that, let me refresh some minds, maybe even enlighten those who are not familiar with this story. If you're not Christian or religious, please indulge me and continue reading.
In the book of Exodus, the Israelite's are freed from Egypt by Moses. This is the part where history repeats itself currently. While traveling the Israelite's begin to whine and complain. They turn against Moses and began to resent his freeing them. In their minds they at least had more than plenty of food to eat and more than plenty to drink while under Pharaoh's enslavement. God spoke to Moses and told him he would "rain down food from heaven". Each morning the Israelite's were to wake up, gather enough of this food for the day, prepare it, and eat it. They were not to leave any left over for the next day, as it would not be any good. The only exception was the day before the Sabbath. The Israelite's were to collect twice as much so they could prepare their food for the Sabbath. Moses told the Israelite's that this was happening because of the complaining. Even though the complaints were aimed at Moses, they were really complaints about God. This food is referred to as manna.
In Voscamp's book she makes a reference to our dark times being a form of manna. The moral of the Biblical story was that God wanted his people to fully rely on Him. It may not "taste" ideal and it sure isn't comfortable, but God doesn't shape us in comfort. He uses these dark times to draw us to fully rely on Him to get us through the storm. When bad things happen we always ask "why me?" I know in the last year alone, I've asked that many times. I've learned that these storms are defining moments in my life, in my relationship with God, and sometimes in my relationships with other people.
It's easy to forget to maintain a relationship with God when things are going good. Sure we give thanks here and there, but do we talk to God as much during the good times as we do during the dark times? An exercise Voscamp started was to make a list of 1,000 things that God gives us as gifts that we often times don't even consider a gift. (Spoiler alert: After she got to 1,000, she continued on) I decided to start the same exercise in hopes that I could give God thanks more and drive out the negative "never fully content" mentality that rears it's ugly head from time to time. One of my list additions was the smell of lilies. When my Great-Grandma died there were tons of lilies at her funeral. They were one of her favorite flowers. Any time I smell lilies I think of her.
God created manna to force the Israelite's to fully depend on him. I agree with Voscamp that God gives us manna to draw us back to him. He wants to make sure we are still relying on the promises He made to us. When I start feeling like I am getting more than my fair share of manna, I am now pushing myself to go to my list of gifts. Nothing pushes out negativity like a thankful heart. Nothing puts Satan in check like a thankful and content heart. Manna may not always be ideal, but God never promised us that this life would be easy.
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