The Manna Ceased
God fed the Israelites for 40 years in the wilderness by providing manna for them every day, except the Sabbath. Even then, they had enough left from the previous day. When they entered the Promised Land of Canaan, there was an entire generation which had eaten manna every day of their lives. However, the day after they ate the produce of the land of Canaan, the manna ceased.(Joshua 5:12) I think there is an important lesson in this for all of us.
God will carry us through the times in our lives when we can't make it ourselves. He will provide miraculously like He did by giving manna. We will lack nothing we need. However, there comes a day when we can make it ourselves, and He turns us loose to make it by gathering what we need and working hard by ourselves. Now, that is not to say that we stop depending on Him. Never. It is also not to say that He quits blessing us. It is to say that God does not do for us what He has given us the ability to do for ourselves. Work is a blessing from God. Adam worked to keep the garden before sin entered the world. When we work and produce what we need, we are like God. God wants us to work and produce a profit for us and to give away to those in need.
Therefore, Canaan did not mark the end of God's blessings on Israel, not at all. It was a blessing to be in the land and to be able to have the produce of the land that year and to plant crops the next year. God gave them, and He gives us the blessing of being able to accomplish things that we need. I believe this is dear to the heart of God, and it is a way that we become like Him.
Tomorrow, I intend to read Joshua 9-11.
God will carry us through the times in our lives when we can't make it ourselves. He will provide miraculously like He did by giving manna. We will lack nothing we need. However, there comes a day when we can make it ourselves, and He turns us loose to make it by gathering what we need and working hard by ourselves. Now, that is not to say that we stop depending on Him. Never. It is also not to say that He quits blessing us. It is to say that God does not do for us what He has given us the ability to do for ourselves. Work is a blessing from God. Adam worked to keep the garden before sin entered the world. When we work and produce what we need, we are like God. God wants us to work and produce a profit for us and to give away to those in need.
Therefore, Canaan did not mark the end of God's blessings on Israel, not at all. It was a blessing to be in the land and to be able to have the produce of the land that year and to plant crops the next year. God gave them, and He gives us the blessing of being able to accomplish things that we need. I believe this is dear to the heart of God, and it is a way that we become like Him.
Tomorrow, I intend to read Joshua 9-11.