Manna

 

There is a very old story about a tribe of people who found themselves in a wilderness, having escaped from slavery to become free. They began to complain about the conditions of the wilderness and found themselves captives of that situation as well. Hunger swept through the camp and the people questioned their freedom and most of them seemed to believe they would be better off as slaves. The leader of the tribe, and the one who’d freed them, asked God to give them food.

“Let’s see if these people can follow my instructions.” Said God. “Tell them to gather a certain rate every day, and on day-six, have them gather twice as much.

When the people woke up the next day, there was something all over the ground. No one had ever witnessed this phenomenon. It was a small, round wafer with a bread-like quality. “What is it?” Everyone asked. They even called it “manna”; which was their word for “What is it?”

“This is what God has given you to eat.” Said the leader. “Gather only what you need.”

The people did as they were told and some gathered more; some less. Those who gathered more had nothing left over and those who gathered less had no lack.

“Don’t leave any for the next day.” Instructed the leader.

The people didn’t listen to the leader and they saved it for the next day. The portion they’d kept rotted and started stinking; worms got into that portion. The leader was angry about this.

On day-six, the people could gather twice as much. On that day, the leftover bread did not rot. It kept for the seventh day.

“That’s because the seventh day is God’s day. You won’t find the bread falling that day.” Said the leader.

Nevertheless, some of the people went looking for the bread on God’s day.

The leader asked, “How long will you all ignore what I am saying?”

The people would eventually learn to rest on God’s day; realizing they were taken care of. They ate this bread daily for forty years.

To this day, the followers of this faith continue to pray, “Give us this day, our daily bread.”

The Bread of Heaven is still a mystery to most people. We will wake up to find what we need each day, but some will gather more and some will gather less. Those who gather more won’t have too much and those who gather less won’t be lacking. This mysterious providence is not a thing that we can store for later. It is still Manna. It is “What Is”.

Accepting what-is is the key. This is how we will survive spiritually. We can’t label it as a particular substance; it has to retain its mystery and we must be grateful for our own “What Is” each day.

In The Manna Myth, the leader was said to have gathered up enough What-Is to keep forever. He placed it in a box referred to as “The Promise” and, according to the story, that jar of “What-Is” will last forever, as a part of The Promise to all generations.

Awaken now and you will see that there is still plenty of isness every day. Be grateful for that; whatever it is.