What to do When the Manna Stops

Reflection from Joshua 5:11-12 — 11/9/2023

The day after the Passover, that very day, they ate some of the produce of the land: unleavened bread and roasted grain. The manna stopped the day after they ate this food from the land; there was no longer any manna for the Israelites, but that year they ate the produce of Canaan. — Joshua 5:11-12

For years the Israelites woke up to observe the same crucial ritual, the gathering of manna for the day. This was such an important aspect of their experience that Jesus referenced in the Lord’s Prayer, “Give us this day our daily bread.”

Waking up and seeing the manna was a daily reminder of God’s presence, provision and trustworthiness. Then one day the manna stopped.

I wonder if there was not a little panic that morning. After all, they’d done this everyday for years! Think about the last time one of your dependable rituals was disrupted, even small ones like lost keys, broken coffee machine, sick child, daily planner disrupted… it doesn’t take much to ruin our lives, does it?

Why do we get so flustered and bet out of shape?

Because the thing we were relying upon has been stripped away from us. This is not a condemnation, just an observation, and one from personal experience.

It is natural for us to come to rely on things that show up regularly in our lives, and normal for us to experience disappoint and even fear when those things are removed. After that we will need to do the work of remembering who are trust is really in.

For the Israelites, the manna wasn’t only meant to fill their bellies for the day, but to forge within their minds a steadfast knowledge of the dependability of God. That way when the manna ceased, they could say, “but God is still with us.”

And God was still with them. He was with them as they farmed the land, went fishing, grew families and cities, etc. They just needed to learn how to rely on him in all of those things.

The words of the wise man come to mind, “In all your ways acknowledge him and he will direct your path…”

One of the chief signs of a mature disciple is when things fall apart and they can say, “It’s alright, God is still with me.” We can practice doing that in the small disappointments, it will steel us for the day the manna ceases to fall.

Heavenly Father, you were known of old as Jehovah Jireh, “the Lord will provide.” In great and small ways we have experienced your provision, and we give you thanks. Forgive us when we come to depend upon what you’ve given, rather than in you, the giver. Grant us the grace to discover that you are our portion, and with you we have everything we need. Enable us to go into the world living and giving generously, because in you we have received abundant life. In Jesus’s mighty name. Amen.

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