Numbers 11:5-6

New International Version

We remember the fish we ate in Egypt at no cost—also the cucumbers, melons, leeks, onions, and garlic.But now we have lost our appetite; we never see anything but this manna!”

For Meditation

Many Christians have become so much like the Israelites in the wilderness—always moaning about something they find unpleasant. Some days are about the weather. Other times they find discomfort with their pillows and the way someone had arranged them. But my focus today, however, is not on the complaining itself but its object. 

When Israel complained about the food in the wilderness, God gave them manna from heaven (Exodus 16:4), but soon, they tired of it. They needed a change—some variety, like a mix with some cucumbers, melons, leeks, onions, and garlic, just as we ate in Egypt (Numbers 11:5).

“Now our whole being is dried up; there is nothing at all except this manna before our eyes!” (6 NKLV). 

Complaining is the outflow of a discontented heart. Nothing satisfies, so people look for something different after a brief ride with what they have. Take iPhone enthusiasts as an example. They get bored with their new toy quickly, so they look ahead for the sacred announcement of the latest version coming up, and they line up in freezing temperatures to pay exorbitant prices for them.  

Shockingly, Christians treat the word of God in the same way. They always want to hear some fresh voice from a new preacher they call anointed—a powerful man of God—with new revelation and insight to stimulate their itching ears. So, they move around churches, dissatisfied with the same “old” word, seeking something new to mix it up. They go after prophetic proclamations concerning their future and how demonic forces from their families have affected their lives. They get delivered every Sunday, yet they return in the same conditions every week. For others, miracles and wonders are the only things that sustain their Christian interest. But I have news for you.

The unadulterated Word of God is all the child of God needs to grow, just as the manna was all that Israel needed for food in the wilderness. The messenger is never the message. Christ Jesus is, and He never changes.

Yes, Jesus still heals and performs miracles. It is His pleasure and glory to bless His people and reveal Himself to others for their attention and salvation, and we must expect them in our meetings. But getting to know Him intimately must remain our constant desire and goal. Yes, Jesus still heals and performs miracles. It is His pleasure and glory to bless His people and reveal Himself to others for their attention and salvation, and we must expect them in our meetings. But getting to know Him intimately must remain our constant desire and goal. We, therefore, focus on the Word of God, which is the foundation for effective prayer led by the Holy Spirit. This healthy combination promotes maturity that leads to victorious Christian living. 

So, do not lose your appetite for feeding on the same word from Genesis to Revelation. Do not be like the Israelites who said they saw nothing but this manna! This Manna is Christ Jesus our Lord. Feed on Him every day and grow in His mighty power. He is the Word of God—the Bread of Life—nourishment for your soul and spirit. Amen!