It’s the day after Valentine’s Day. And for some of us, the celebrations were not great. In fact, the Day may have confirmed something we have been trying to avoid: that it is time to let go. I know, letting go isn’t only about relationships, romantic or otherwise. In fact, Today’s Holy Nougat refers to letting go in a completely different way. It’s not yet spring, but it could be time for some serious sorting out of our lives.
Exodus 16:20 NIV
[20] 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. So Moses was angry with them.
Letting Go
Here, the ‘it’ in our Nougat referred to manna. Manna was the Children of Israel’s daily food in the wilderness, and represented God’s capacity to provide for their needs. It seemed to have rained down from heaven each night or early morning, because they were able to harvest enough each day. But, there was a caveat … only take as much as each person needed.
For those of us who live with labels that prescribe recommended daily allowance, it’s what they got. One omer per person, regardless of age, gender, size or status. It is said that an omer was a sheaf, or a heap, so those who opted for a great heap had enough, and those whose heaps were smaller were also filled.
In this regard, the Nougat speaks directly to consumption, and of our understanding of ‘enough’. Enough was ‘within reason’ of a sheaf or heap, a fixed measure, though some persons took a bit more or less. In a very literal sense, what happened next is still practical for us today. When they hoarded the food beyond their daily allowance, it rotted. Today, despite chemical advancements, natural, unprocessed foods don’t last for very long without preservatives. Hence, despite our best efforts, we may find rot in food that we store up beyond their ‘natural shelf life’.
Self-Check
In our current consumption patterns, how much is enough of anything? Is there anything that we knowingly have too much of? What do we do with it?
Digging Deeper
While we ought to see manna in its literal sense as a food source, we also recall Y’shua making reference to manna in sermons and parables. It also features indirectly in His model prayer. There, the second petition that we are told to present to God is provision of bread for the day. In both Matthew 6:11 and Luke 11:3, that petition follows the request for a little Heaven to be displayed on earth. And in Heaven, we know there’s enough of everything that we need. So, if God’s will is effected on earth as in Heaven, we should only take enough to satisfy our current need.
Let’s extend that thought a bit by asking ourselves what it is that we need (not desire) in our lives at this moment. It’s either what we need in totality because there’s none, or that which we believe we need more of it for our mental and physical survival. We might even refer to it as treasure. Treasure is that which is absolutely precious to us – regardless of how others feel about it. Unfortunately, we hardly ever seek just enough treasure – because we try to hoard it (probably in anticipation of that ‘rainy day’).
But treasure is not always food. We don’t usually think of daily bread as treasure. In His famous Sermon on the Mount, Y’shua insisted that our daily bread is God’s concern. And on the heels of His model prayer in the Sermon, Y’shua further states that treasure – the thing/s we hoard – ought to be spiritual (see Matthew 6:19-21).
That leads me right back to my introductory thought. For if our heart is fixated on a person or relationship that is toxic, holding on to that manna will result in us finding larvae or rot when we least expect. Worse yet, we might discover that a new ‘owner’ has taken custody of our treasure. Yes siblings, I do believe that’s what Jesus wants us to understand in Matthew 6:19.
The Children of Israel were supposed to get only enough for one day. The very next day manna was provided once again. They were being taught to understand that the Source was their treasure, not the gift. They needed to know what to keep, when to keep it, how much to keep and when to let go.
So do we.
Nothing is worth keeping beyond God’s alloted season. Not things, not (toxic) relationships.
Please don’t mishear me.
I’m not advocating for divorce.
What I am advocating for is us being attuned to God’s timing, God’s plans, and God’s provision for each of us – not our own. It is about identifying God’s treasures for us, knowing when to hold on and when to let go.
Ultimately, managing our manna is a matter of trust. Do we trust God enough to give us what we need – at the appointed time – or do we keep holding on part God’s expiry date?
Points to Ponder
As we entrust God’s provision to God, are we allowing God to manage our manna?
When God says let go, do we let go? Or, are we holding on fiercely, hoping that moths nor rust nor larvae nor thieves will destroy our treasure?
—
May all we seek be found in Christ
