Exodus 16:23-30
He said to them, "This is what the LORD commanded: 'Tomorrow is to be a day of rest, a holy Sabbath to the LORD. So bake what you want to bake and boil what you want to boil. Save whatever is left and keep it until morning.' "
So they saved it until morning, as Moses commanded, and it did not stink or get maggots in it. "Eat it today," Moses said, "because today is a Sabbath to the LORD. You will not find any of it on the ground today. Six days you are to gather it, but on the seventh day, the Sabbath, there will not be any."
Nevertheless, some of the people went out on the seventh day to gather it, but they found none. Then the LORD said to Moses, "How long will you refuse to keep my commands and my instructions? Bear in mind that the LORD has given you the Sabbath; that is why on the sixth day he gives you bread for two days. Everyone is to stay where he is on the seventh day; no one is to go out." So the people rested on the seventh day.
Read the passage and if you find yourself rolling your eyes and wondering why some of the people just didn't listen to God's simple instructions because there will be no manna on the ground on Sabbath, you are not alone.
The pigheadedness of such people does seem rather laughable, because we see wileful behaviour in action. It really begs the following question to be answered, "why would anyone choose to disbelief the simple instructions of a God who parted the Red Sea and rescued them from the pursuing Egyptian army?"
The truth is, our human hearts and minds are short-termed. All it takes is one incident and we will forget about the amazing might of God.
Did you know that that the disbelief shown in the passage above was the second time in a week? Just a few days earlier in Exodus 16: 19-20 it records the first incident:
"Then Moses said to them, "No one is to keep any of it until morning."However, some of them paid no attention to Moses; they kept part of it until morning, but it was full of maggots and began to smell."
Sometimes we wonder why we often don't listen, or heed simple instructions. In instances where I encounter individuals who do what is wrong despite knowing otherwise, I can't help but to grit my teeth in frustration and wish I could strangle them. Thus, I'm really amazed by the patience of our God who has the grace to endure pigheaded creations like us. That He is slow to anger and quick to forgive our deafness and deliberate rebellion.
What can we learn from this passage? Plenty! Today can you look at your life with honesty and ask yourself if you are heeding God's instructions and commands? Or are you simply doing what your soul wants to do despite knowing that you need to live like the salt of the earth?
Here's a few common wrongs which God instructs us to not commit: Lust, quick to anger and equally quick to lash out, disobeying our parents, not honouring the Sabbath day, having a mouth that spews forth vulgarities or undignified language, dating an unbeliever, slothful attitude when you are to be productive, robbing God of His tithes and love offering, behaving as you desire instead of being a humble servant which brings God's glory.
Under the microscope of the living God, it is really scary to see the stubborn stains of sin which are on our life. As scary and aweful it is to step into God's light to see the dark stains of our sins, we have to recognise that this true revelation of our being will save us. Why choose to live a self-deluded, self-righteous life today and end up being thrown into the lake of fire at the end of our life.
May our eyes and ears be opened today!
blessings,
M.
"The Son of Man will send out his angels, and they will weed out of his kingdom everything that causes sin and all who do evil. They will throw them into the fiery furnace, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. Then the righteous will shine like the sun in the kingdom of their Father. He who has ears, let him hear." (Matthew 13:41-43 )
13 May 2008
How Long...
Exodus 16:23-30
He said to them, "This is what the LORD commanded: 'Tomorrow is to be a day of rest, a holy Sabbath to the LORD. So bake what you want to bake and boil what you want to boil. Save whatever is left and keep it until morning.' "
So they saved it until morning, as Moses commanded, and it did not stink or get maggots in it. "Eat it today," Moses said, "because today is a Sabbath to the LORD. You will not find any of it on the ground today. Six days you are to gather it, but on the seventh day, the Sabbath, there will not be any."
Nevertheless, some of the people went out on the seventh day to gather it, but they found none. Then the LORD said to Moses, "How long will you refuse to keep my commands and my instructions? Bear in mind that the LORD has given you the Sabbath; that is why on the sixth day he gives you bread for two days. Everyone is to stay where he is on the seventh day; no one is to go out." So the people rested on the seventh day.
Read the passage and if you find yourself rolling your eyes and wondering why some of the people just didn't listen to God's simple instructions because there will be no manna on the ground on Sabbath, you are not alone.
The pigheadedness of such people does seem rather laughable, because we see wileful behaviour in action. It really begs the following question to be answered, "why would anyone choose to disbelief the simple instructions of a God who parted the Red Sea and rescued them from the pursuing Egyptian army?"
The truth is, our human hearts and minds are short-termed. All it takes is one incident and we will forget about the amazing might of God.
Did you know that that the disbelief shown in the passage above was the second time in a week? Just a few days earlier in Exodus 16: 19-20 it records the first incident:
"Then Moses said to them, "No one is to keep any of it until morning."However, some of them paid no attention to Moses; they kept part of it until morning, but it was full of maggots and began to smell."
Sometimes we wonder why we often don't listen, or heed simple instructions. In instances where I encounter individuals who do what is wrong despite knowing otherwise, I can't help but to grit my teeth in frustration and wish I could strangle them. Thus, I'm really amazed by the patience of our God who has the grace to endure pigheaded creations like us. That He is slow to anger and quick to forgive our deafness and deliberate rebellion.
What can we learn from this passage? Plenty! Today can you look at your life with honesty and ask yourself if you are heeding God's instructions and commands? Or are you simply doing what your soul wants to do despite knowing that you need to live like the salt of the earth?
Here's a few common wrongs which God instructs us to not commit: Lust, quick to anger and equally quick to lash out, disobeying our parents, not honouring the Sabbath day, having a mouth that spews forth vulgarities or undignified language, dating an unbeliever, slothful attitude when you are to be productive, robbing God of His tithes and love offering, behaving as you desire instead of being a humble servant which brings God's glory.
Under the microscope of the living God, it is really scary to see the stubborn stains of sin which are on our life. As scary and aweful it is to step into God's light to see the dark stains of our sins, we have to recognise that this true revelation of our being will save us. Why choose to live a self-deluded, self-righteous life today and end up being thrown into the lake of fire at the end of our life.
May our eyes and ears be opened today!
blessings,
M.
"The Son of Man will send out his angels, and they will weed out of his kingdom everything that causes sin and all who do evil. They will throw them into the fiery furnace, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. Then the righteous will shine like the sun in the kingdom of their Father. He who has ears, let him hear." (Matthew 13:41-43 )
He said to them, "This is what the LORD commanded: 'Tomorrow is to be a day of rest, a holy Sabbath to the LORD. So bake what you want to bake and boil what you want to boil. Save whatever is left and keep it until morning.' "
So they saved it until morning, as Moses commanded, and it did not stink or get maggots in it. "Eat it today," Moses said, "because today is a Sabbath to the LORD. You will not find any of it on the ground today. Six days you are to gather it, but on the seventh day, the Sabbath, there will not be any."
Nevertheless, some of the people went out on the seventh day to gather it, but they found none. Then the LORD said to Moses, "How long will you refuse to keep my commands and my instructions? Bear in mind that the LORD has given you the Sabbath; that is why on the sixth day he gives you bread for two days. Everyone is to stay where he is on the seventh day; no one is to go out." So the people rested on the seventh day.
Read the passage and if you find yourself rolling your eyes and wondering why some of the people just didn't listen to God's simple instructions because there will be no manna on the ground on Sabbath, you are not alone.
The pigheadedness of such people does seem rather laughable, because we see wileful behaviour in action. It really begs the following question to be answered, "why would anyone choose to disbelief the simple instructions of a God who parted the Red Sea and rescued them from the pursuing Egyptian army?"
The truth is, our human hearts and minds are short-termed. All it takes is one incident and we will forget about the amazing might of God.
Did you know that that the disbelief shown in the passage above was the second time in a week? Just a few days earlier in Exodus 16: 19-20 it records the first incident:
"Then Moses said to them, "No one is to keep any of it until morning."However, some of them paid no attention to Moses; they kept part of it until morning, but it was full of maggots and began to smell."
Sometimes we wonder why we often don't listen, or heed simple instructions. In instances where I encounter individuals who do what is wrong despite knowing otherwise, I can't help but to grit my teeth in frustration and wish I could strangle them. Thus, I'm really amazed by the patience of our God who has the grace to endure pigheaded creations like us. That He is slow to anger and quick to forgive our deafness and deliberate rebellion.
What can we learn from this passage? Plenty! Today can you look at your life with honesty and ask yourself if you are heeding God's instructions and commands? Or are you simply doing what your soul wants to do despite knowing that you need to live like the salt of the earth?
Here's a few common wrongs which God instructs us to not commit: Lust, quick to anger and equally quick to lash out, disobeying our parents, not honouring the Sabbath day, having a mouth that spews forth vulgarities or undignified language, dating an unbeliever, slothful attitude when you are to be productive, robbing God of His tithes and love offering, behaving as you desire instead of being a humble servant which brings God's glory.
Under the microscope of the living God, it is really scary to see the stubborn stains of sin which are on our life. As scary and aweful it is to step into God's light to see the dark stains of our sins, we have to recognise that this true revelation of our being will save us. Why choose to live a self-deluded, self-righteous life today and end up being thrown into the lake of fire at the end of our life.
May our eyes and ears be opened today!
blessings,
M.
"The Son of Man will send out his angels, and they will weed out of his kingdom everything that causes sin and all who do evil. They will throw them into the fiery furnace, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. Then the righteous will shine like the sun in the kingdom of their Father. He who has ears, let him hear." (Matthew 13:41-43 )
