Morning

February 9

Exodus 16:8 ⁸Moses also said, "You will know that it was the LORD when he gives you meat to eat in the evening and all the bread you want in the morning, because he has heard your grumbling against him. Who are we? You are not grumbling against us, but against the LORD."

After the plagues, parting of the sea, destruction of Pharaoh's army, and provision of water at Marah, you would think the Jews would have realized that it was God that delivered them and spoke to them through Moses. What does it take for us, after all that we have seen and read, to know that it was God who spoke to us in His Son? Do we know He has been our Deliverer?

The people were complaining about not having anything to eat. "Can God provide a table for us in the wilderness?" What happened to their herds? That was their wealth, but they were unwilling to see them as God's provision. God will provide quail and manna so that they may be convinced (16:6). How patient God is with us! What will it take to convince us? If we will open our manna, the Word of God, every morning and evening, we will find it is God who gives us our daily spiritual bread. Then our hearts will be convinced that it was indeed the LORD who delivered us. Jesus said, "I am the living bread that came down from heaven." (John 6:51) "The word became flesh and dwelt among us." (John 1:14) We should collect our daily manna just as the Israelites did.

The last part of that verse is an encouragement to pastors. When your pastor is preaching the Word of God and those in the church grumble against him, they are not grumbling against him, but against the LORD. Be careful whom you oppose as you may be opposing the LORD in them.

Consider: Realize that complaints against men are often complaints against the LORD.