Spiritual Prescription GATHER ACCORDING TO YOUR EATING
Your father did eat manna in the wilderness, and are dead. This is the bread which cometh down from heaven, that a man may eat thereof, and not die. John 6:49, 50.
Jesus suggested the comparison between Himself, as the bread of life, and the manna that was given as bread from heaven to the people of Israel. Let's consider the story of the manna in Exodus 16 in relationship to the eating of the bread of life.
The manna had fallen the night before, and the children of Israel were wondering what it was. In fact, that's what they called it--"What is it?" That's what the word manna means.
"And Moses said unto them, This is the bread which the Lord hath given you to eat. This is the thing which the Lord hath commanded. Gather of it every man according to his eating" (Ex. 16:15, 16). What does it mean, "according to his eating"? Well, the primary reference here was to the number of the people in each family, but there's another principle we can apply from this, as well.
When I was living in Glendale, not too far from where Elder H.M.S. Richards lives, I went over to visit him one day. He was talking about the reason for lack of power today in the Christian ministry. And he said, "You know, there are very few of us ministers who spend even four hours a day alone with God. This is one of our problems!" And I said, "What? Oh, uh...yes, that's really too bad, isn't it?"
What would you do if you decided to spend four hours alone with God tomorrow morning? Could you do it? What would you do during the four hours? Have you ever heard about people praying all night, and wondered what they found to pray about?
"Gather of it every man according to his eating." A thoughtful hour alone with God--can you do that? What about half an hour? Or will the time be different according to the growth and maturity of your Christian life? Is it possible that the beginning baby Christian may not know what to do with five minutes alone with God? Is it possible that the mature Christian won't be able to find time enough? "And the children of Israel...gathered, some more, some less" (verse 17). But even those who gathered less still gathered!
Your father did eat manna in the wilderness, and are dead. This is the bread which cometh down from heaven, that a man may eat thereof, and not die. John 6:49, 50.
Jesus suggested the comparison between Himself, as the bread of life, and the manna that was given as bread from heaven to the people of Israel. Let's consider the story of the manna in Exodus 16 in relationship to the eating of the bread of life.
The manna had fallen the night before, and the children of Israel were wondering what it was. In fact, that's what they called it--"What is it?" That's what the word manna means.
"And Moses said unto them, This is the bread which the Lord hath given you to eat. This is the thing which the Lord hath commanded. Gather of it every man according to his eating" (Ex. 16:15, 16). What does it mean, "according to his eating"? Well, the primary reference here was to the number of the people in each family, but there's another principle we can apply from this, as well.
When I was living in Glendale, not too far from where Elder H.M.S. Richards lives, I went over to visit him one day. He was talking about the reason for lack of power today in the Christian ministry. And he said, "You know, there are very few of us ministers who spend even four hours a day alone with God. This is one of our problems!" And I said, "What? Oh, uh...yes, that's really too bad, isn't it?"
What would you do if you decided to spend four hours alone with God tomorrow morning? Could you do it? What would you do during the four hours? Have you ever heard about people praying all night, and wondered what they found to pray about?
"Gather of it every man according to his eating." A thoughtful hour alone with God--can you do that? What about half an hour? Or will the time be different according to the growth and maturity of your Christian life? Is it possible that the beginning baby Christian may not know what to do with five minutes alone with God? Is it possible that the mature Christian won't be able to find time enough? "And the children of Israel...gathered, some more, some less" (verse 17). But even those who gathered less still gathered!
RSS Feed
