The Lodestar

Manna was the miraculous food the Lord provided to the people of Israel during their forty-year journey through the wilderness. Every day morning, it rained from heaven except on Saturday (Sabbath) morning. It lasted only a day, but if anyone collected more than they could eat that day, it stank the following day. However, what they gathered on Friday would miraculously last the following day (the Sabbath) without spoiling. The author of the Book of Numbers has preserved the memory of this miracle food:

“Now the manna was like coriander seed, and its appearance like that of bdellium. The people went about and gathered it and ground it in hand mills or beat it in mortars and boiled it in pots and made cakes of it. And the taste of it was like the taste of cakes baked with oil. When the dew fell upon the camp in the night, the manna fell with it” (Num 11:7—9).

This food gave the people the strength to traverse the wilderness, where nothing edible grows, till they reached the promised land. In the promised land, it stopped forever because they had natural food to eat. Manna or no Manna, God’s provision continued to enrich them, though the mode has changed.

God's blessings may take various forms, but God continues to bless us. Sometimes, God leads us through miracles and sometimes through natural means. However, the believer must be able to see God's hand in unconventional and conventional ways—he is the God of miracles and the natural.

Begin each day with expectation. Like gathering manna in the morning, start your day asking, “Lord, what are You providing today?” Whether it’s strength, wisdom, or peace—receive it fresh. Don’t hoard grace. Manna spoiled when stored out of fear. Trust God for daily provision. Let go of anxiety about tomorrow and lean into today’s sufficiency. Honour the rhythm of rest. Just as Friday’s manna lasted through the Sabbath, make space in your week to pause, reflect, and worship. Rest is a form of trust. Recognise God in the ordinary. When Israel entered the Promised Land, the manna stopped—but God’s provision didn’t. Whether through a paycheck, a friend’s encouragement, or a quiet moment, learn to see the sacred in the simple. Share your story. The Book of Numbers preserved the memory of manna. What provision has God given you—miraculous or mundane? Share it. Your testimony could be someone else’s lifeline in their wilderness.

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