Manna in the Wilderness

February 25, 2024 homily on Deuteronomy 8:11-18 by Pastor Galen

“[God] fed you in the wilderness with manna that your ancestors did not know, to humble you and to test you and in the end to do you good.” – Deut. 8:16

Manna in the Wilderness

During our first few years of marriage, money was extremely tight for my wife and me. At the time, we were doing an unpaid internship with a college campus ministry, and working hourly jobs that paid just slightly more than minimum wage to support ourselves. During our first year of marriage, we began expecting our first child, and my worries and concerns about finances went through the roof.

There were quite a few times during those first few years of our marriage when I felt a sense of discouragement or even desperation due to our financial situation. One such time was when my wife and I were on our way up to Pennsylvania to see my parents and were forced to turn around and come back home because we realized that our car was just not reliable enough to get us there and back. 

And yet it was during that “wilderness season” of our lives that God deepened our faith and taught us to trust in God’s goodness and provision. 

During those years, we experienced several instances of God’s provision and protection that we can only describe as miraculous. One such time was when our car stalled out in the middle of an intersection, and somehow, the car backed up (up a hill), out of the path of an oncoming car, while the car was still in “drive”! Another time was when my wife and I were getting ready to sit down and eat the few warmed-up leftovers that we had in our fridge. My wife had had an emergency c-section, and I am not a great cook, and so we ate a lot of leftovers during that time. Just as we were sitting down to eat, a little boy who attended our church knocked on our door and handed us a container of freshly made food that his grandmother had prepared for us. And then there was the time that we faithfully gave our tithe in the offering at church, having no idea how we were going to pay our bills that month, and then a woman walked up to us after the service and handed us a crumbled up bill in the exact same amount that we had just put in the offering earlier that morning.

Take Care Not to Forget…

All of us face wilderness experiences in our lives. And in those times, we are usually most aware of our need for God, and we feel a sense of urgency in crying out to God. Sometimes God meets us in miraculous ways, and other times God meets us in quieter, less dramatic ways. And yet, looking back on those times, we often realize that God was indeed present with us. 

Not surprisingly, it’s in times of abundance and provision when we’re least in touch with our need for God. We’re tempted to forget that everything we have comes from God, and we’re prone to pride, thinking that we have acquired everything we have on our own strength. 

This is why, in the book of Deuteronomy, even before the Israelites were taken into the promised land, Moses reminded the people to look back and to remember the way God had provided for them in the wilderness. God provided for them throughout their 40 years in the wilderness. It was a time of intense trials and tribulations, and yet it was a formational time for them, as they learned to trust and depend on God.

But now that they were getting ready to enter the promised land, Moses knows that their biggest temptation is yet to come—the temptation to forget God in the midst of prosperity. And so he encouraged them to remember that it was God’s provision and protection that led them to this point. 

Lent

Currently we are in the season of Lent—the season of 40 days leading up to the celebration of Easter—when we remember the 40 days that Jesus faced temptation in the wilderness prior to the start of his ministry. Many Christians give something up for lent—perhaps chocolates or desserts—to help us remember our need and dependence on God. Others substitute bad habits for good habits, like reading our Bibles more often, or praying regularly. 

However you’ve chosen to practice Lent this year, my prayer is that God would meet you in a meaningful way. May we remember our need and dependence on God, and may our lenten practices lead us to remember and reflect on God’s goodness in our lives — in both the good times and the bad.

Amen!

Here are some questions for personal reflection based on Pastor Galen’s sermon:

1. Can you recall a “wilderness” season in your life when you felt desperate or discouraged? How did you respond during that time?
2. Reflect on instances of God’s provision and protection in your life during difficult times. How did these experiences deepen your faith and trust in God?
3. Have you ever experienced God’s provision in unexpected or miraculous ways? How did these experiences shape your understanding of God’s presence in your life?
4. Consider moments of abundance and prosperity in your life. How do you maintain awareness of your dependence on God during these times?
5. How can you cultivate a spirit of gratitude and remembrance for God’s goodness and provision, both in times of plenty and in times of scarcity?
6. During this Lenten season, what practices are you engaging in to draw closer to God and remember your dependence on God? How are these practices shaping your spiritual journey?
7. Spend some time in prayer, asking God to help you remember and reflect on God’s goodness throughout all seasons.