Daily Grace

Today's Scripture: Deuteronomy 8:3 "And he humbled you . . . and fed you with manna." Read it online at the Bible Gateway: ( NIV) (NASB) (KJV) (The Message)

There's a lesson about grace in the way God distributed the manna to the Israelites in the desert:

"This is what the Lord has commanded: 'gather of it, each one of you, as much as he can eat.' and the people of Israel did so. They gathered, some more, some less. But when they measured it with an omer, whoever gathered much had nothing left over, and whoever gathered little had no lack. Each of them gathered as much as he could eat. And Moses said to them, 'let no one leave any of it over till the morning.' But they did not listen to Moses. Some left part of it till the morning, and it bred worms and stank. And Moses was angry with them. Morning by morning they gathered it, each as much as he could eat; but when the sun grew hot, it melted" (Exodus 16:16-21).

Three times the text mentions that each person could gather as much as he needed. There was an ample supply for everyone; no one need go hungry. And God in some mysterious way saw that no one had an overabundance: someone gathering much did not have too much; someone gathering little did not have too little. Furthermore, the gathering was to be a daily activity; they were not allowed to store up for the future.

This illustrates the way God distributes grace. There's always an ample supply; no one ever need go without. But there's only as much as we need—and even that is on a day-to-day basis. God doesn't permit us to "store up" grace. We must look to him anew each day for a new supply. Sometimes we must look for a new supply each hour!