Moldy Manna

True Confessions:  I can be a real control freak.  You probably can’t relate…but in the off chance that you can, read on.

At a women’s retreat recently, I was given the challenge to teach the women how to be still in the midst of a busy schedule.  Wouldn’t it be nice to have a checklist that we could follow and, after a couple of tick marks, be completely still and refreshed?  Of course, if that were the case then I would be the one in control of being still and caring for myself.  There would be little need for God in this work.

My three-year-old daughter oftentimes does not see the need for a nap.  Like the Energizer Bunny, she keeps going and going!  Yet, by late afternoon, when she is strapped in her car seat and traveling along for the ride to her brothers’ karate lesson, she goes out like a light before we hit the end of the driveway.  I knew that she needed to sleep, but she had no idea until it was forced upon her.  I wonder how many of us gals are the same way?  In our zeal to serve at home, at church, in our communities and elsewhere, do we take time to rest?  I’m not promoting “me-time” here; I’m talking about observing God-given time to rest.

It seems funny to even ask if we’re resting.  Seems like it should be a given–we’re adults and we know that we need to rest after our hard work, right?  Yet, from personal experience, I know that I can get into modes where I don’t think it’s even right to take time to rest.  Women were made to be helpers,  yet in our sin we take this to the nth degree.  Instead of being a helper, we become a controller.  Sometimes we may be tempted to think, “this won’t get done unless I do it”, “this to-do list is far too long today to take time out for a quiet time today”.  Years ago I had gotten into the control mode when we were working in youth ministry.  I had crossed the boundary of helping and moved into controlling…and I became spiritually depleted and my family life began to suffer.  Because I wasn’t taking time to rest in God’s presence, I began to become ‘spiritually anorexic’.

I’ve heard it said that you can become so busy doing work for the Lord that you don’t stop to let the Lord do a work in you.  That was certainly true of me during that time.  There must be a balance.  God has prepared good works for us to do; we must be obedient in doing those good works for His glory.  He also has given us a day of rest; we must be obedient in observing that day, as well as resting in His presence through reading His Word, praying and listening to Him regularly.  As He pours into us through His Holy Spirit, we can then pour out in ministry to our family, and others.

When I read about the Israelites’ journey in the wilderness and their complaints (see Exodus 16), I am sorely convicted.  ”Oh, that we had died by the hand of the LORD in the land of Egypt, when we sat by the pots of meat and when we ate bread to the full!  For you have brought us out into this wilderness to kill this whole assembly with hunger.”  So, the LORD provided glorious manna for the people.  With this provision came instructions.  Each household gathered according to its need.  None were to leave any of it until morning.  Some did not follow the instructions, though, and decided to hoard the manna.  If there was a “Manna Hoarders” on the local reality TV lineup, perhaps these people would be on it!  What happened, though, when they hoarded the manna?  ”It bred worms and stank.”  This would be the result if any manna were left over…except on the Sabbath.  God, in His perfect provision, would provide enough for two days so the people would not have to work on the Sabbath, but, rather, rest.  The manna would not become rotten on those occasions.  If the people obeyed God, blessings would be abundant.  If they took matters into their own hands, if they tried to take control and not trust God, they ended up with moldy manna.

Consider your life for a moment.  Is there any place where you’ve crossed the boundary of doing good works for the Lord and barged right into controlling the situation with your own two hands?  Are you helping your husband or trying to tell him what to do?  Are you instructing your children or controlling their every move?  Are you joyfully serving at church or working so hard that you’re neglecting time with the One you are ultimately serving?

When we rest in the Lord—through quiet times, through observing the Lord’s Day, and through trusting Him–then we stop hoarding manna.  Spending time resting in His presence grows us in knowing that He will care for us, that He is in control, and that He knows what’s best… for He is our good Father!

Love, Wendy