The GIFT Giver
This Season, Experience the ULTIMATE Giver of Gifts
Ephesians 2:8, ‘For by grace you have been saved! Nothing you did could ever earn this salvation, for it was the love gift from God that brought us to Christ!’ (TPT)
December 14th, 2022
the GIFT: Daily Bread
There never had been such an ungrateful people, an endless chorus of grumbling and complaint. How had it come to this? The heart buried in the chest of the Giver beat wildly within Him: “What more could I do for these dissatisfied, faultfinding and thankless people?!” He consoled Himself. Yet, also, gravely He reckoned, “They are like sheep without a shepherd.”
The bickering was so endless, and it saddened the Giver greatly. He thought of their tenure in Egypt; their bondage to an unacceptable ruler. The evil and godlessness and catastrophic events. He understood that His children needed rescuing. But not one would listen to another; all they recognized was fretful dissension and resentment toward Him and toward each other.
The Giver thought back to the ribbon of highway He had spread across the deep of the Red Sea. The mountains of water He had held back for the children’s safe passage from one side to the other across dry ground where just moments before it had been soaked, a sea of water. He watched the horror unfold as their angry captors pursued them into the deep, and as they safely reached the other side, how He had removed His palm and the oceans of water flowed back into place, drowning His children’s enemies. The people had been ranting then also, about the captivity and the mistreatment and being enslaved to another culture, and as His gift to them, the Giver had set them free yet again.
Only to now lead them into their Promised Land, the land He had promised them as another gift to them. He fashioned the cloud in the sky that led them by day and He made the pillar of fire rise up to guide them by night. There had never been such a demonstration of direction, a roadmap so easy to follow. If only they would trust. If only they would trust the hand that had provided for them previously would be the same hand to provide for them now. But instead, their incessant whining threatened to drown out any joy and goodness. They were thirsty; they were hungry; they were this—they were that. He had so much He wanted to do with and for them…if they would only cause their feet to be obedient even if their mouths could not.
It grieved the Giver’s heart so greatly as He listened to their grumblings. He could hardly believe His ears. They now would rather have died by His hand then to be led into this land that would someday flow with milk and honey for them, as He had promised. They could not see the goodness He promised nor remember His previous provision, so they were willing to sacrifice everything permanent on an altar of temporal gratification. He shook His head in sorrow, wanting so badly for them to just trust and be obedient and reliant.
But what would the Giver do? He would bake them daily bread and cause it to rain down from heaven to satisfy their fussing and hunger. He instructed them how to receive it daily, and even when they refused to listen and obey, He patiently showed them again what He meant. “Count on Me day by day; I will feed you daily,” the Giver promised. “All I want is for you to trust I will provide for your daily needs.” Even still—when the manna spoiled because they collected and hid enough manna to last days, due to their fearfulness the provision would disappear, that the Giver would not keep His word to them—even still, He sent more flakes from heaven to feed their bodies and rained down guidance for their souls.
Exodus 14:14, ‘The Lord will fight for you; you need only to be still.’
