Are You Trying to Live On Yesterday’s Manna

I was just sitting in the worship service dutifully listening on a Wednesday night.   It had been a long day, and I was tired.  I know there were lots of words that the guy said, wise points and great ideas, things that I am sure applied to others in the room, but I only heard two.

“Yesterday’s Manna.”

That was it!   I didn’t hear another word the rest of the night because God had just officially put me in  ”time out” right there on the front row with one simple question.

“Why are you living on Yesterday’s Manna?”

Manna–you know the stuff in Exodus 16–the supernatural food God gave to the Israelites during their 40 year wandering in the desert. The plan was pretty simple.  Every day God provided this stuff that fell from the sky as food. All the people had to do was go get it and eat it.  If they held on to any of it, they next day it turned to worms.

Yuck!

I guess what has stuck with me is there is really no such thing as:  “Yesterday’s manna.”

God made it so very clear that yesterday is as good as worms to HIM.  So why do WE need yesterday so much?

Why do we look at yesterday, for today? That youth retreat, that bad decision, the mountain-top experience that changed you, or the day you almost died–all Yesterday’s Manna. If we live there, we are missing God’s provisions for today.

Why is it easier to talk about then,  than now?  Why is a current faith, still so private? I have no problem telling you what God has done, but it gets real personal when I tell you what God is doing currently.

What does it say about me when the past is  just safer than the present?

How many times do we go looking for today’s solutions and strength, in the events of the past?

Claiming promises already fulfilled.  Looking for healing comfort and blessings for today, in yesterday.

“God,  just do that again because you did it before.”

Maybe the problem is really very simple: Living today, in yesterday, and calling that Faith.

I have faith because … I can face tomorrow because … I believe because … isn’t faith.

It’s Yesterday’s manna.

The definition of Faith is:

“Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.” Hebrews 11:1

Why are we cheapening what God is going to do by placing Him in the box of what He has already done?

Why would we rather surround ourselves with what we know, than the God of what we don’t?

Is there really  such a thing as safe faith? Does predictability equal safety?  Does God even want us to follow Him because He is a safe God?

Or is there a special adventure for those who are willing to just live in the present?  An opportunity to just soar?

Why is it human nature to counter, “Show me your glory,” with, “Been there done that.”

God provided everyday for 40 years while they circled around trying to find their way, but they people had to “get up and go get it, every single day.”

Every single day there was just enough to get through that day, not “God did this when I was younger,” or, “I was saved when I was a kid,”  or five years ago, or, “Last time this happened God did … ”

But instead: “Good Morning God! What are we going to do today?”

What do you expect God to do in your life today?