“Some of the people went out anyway on the seventh day, but they found no food. The Lord asked Moses, “How long will these people refuse to obey my commands and instructions? They must realize that the Sabbath is the Lord’s gift to you. That is why he gives you a two-day supply on the sixth day, so there will be enough for two days. On the Sabbath day you must each stay in your place. Do not go out to pick up food on the seventh day.” So the people did not gather any food on the seventh day.” Exodus 16:27-30 NLT
Even when God speaks and God provides hard, physical evidence of His existence and care, we still tend to “walk out on the 7th day looking for food.” Oh they heard what Moses had said. But “some” just had to see for themselves. Faith becomes really hard for some of us!
I see a sad story, a dark comedy in what God asked Moses, “How long will these people refuse to obey my commands and instructions? They must realize that the Sabbath is the Lord’s gift to you. That is why he gives you a two-day supply on the sixth day, so there will be enough for two days. On the Sabbath day you must each stay in your place. Do not go out to pick up food on the seventh day.” So the people did not gather any food on the seventh day.”
“How long?,” God asks. Answer: A very long time. In fact, we discover, we will refuse to obey for the entirety of our human story. It has completely flipped in modern days, for “some” will obey, but now, the majority will still theoretically go out looking for food on the seventh day.
Folks swear that signs and the absolute surety of evidence will convince the most determined atheist of the reality of God – they will not. Dig up Noah’s ark, find the elusive Ark of the Covenant, open the mysterious box with God’s finger written covenant on stone and the two quarts of manna still fresh as the day it fell! Find and test the possible burial shroud of the living Christ. Don’t we get it? This is not how most come to faith! Some say it was all about the evidence, and how it was undeniable. Good for them. But I believe because God made Himself real to me with a simple proposition, “give me your life,” He said. God made a promise to be the Dad I never had! God promised to more than just BE life FOR me, He wanted to DO life WITH me. The physical reminders and object lessons of His reality are certainly cool, but I did not come to faith because of a newly discovered jar of manna hidden within the Ark of the Covenant! God didn’t tell Moses to put some manna in a jar to prove His existence to future doubters. “Then Moses said, “This is what the Lord has commanded: Fill a two-quart container with manna to preserve it for your descendants. Then later generations will be able to see the food I gave you in the wilderness when I set you free from Egypt.”” God wanted later generations to remember His provision and care in the middle of a gigantic desert experience in their own lives.
I just want to live a life that hears God’s voice and obeys what He says. I don’t want to be that guy that walks out on day 7 looking for food and then blames God for being a liar. Nah, instead, I’ll just trust and obey.
Prayer
Dad,
Oh, I can clearly see myself in these ancient stories, where I read and chuckle to myself about the stubbornness of people back then. Ah, but when I search my own heart I quickly see the duplicity of my thoughts. I often understand what you command, I just have this compulsion to either test it or try to find some other way to accomplish my own will rather than yours. Thank you for your patience and lonnnnnng suffering towards me, and for all of us.