Scripture

Our verse for today comes from Joshua 5:12, ” Then the manna ceased on the day after they had eaten the produce of the land; and the children of Israel no longer had manna, but they ate the food of the land of Canaan that year. “

Background

My mom used to love to feed my children when they were babies. To this day, one of my favorite photos is of her feeding my oldest son his first ever bite of cake and ice cream. And that was sort of her standard M.O. Raising her own kids in the era that she did, dealing with her own set of struggles and difficulties, she did things a certain way. And one of her ways was to give our babies regular table food as early in their lives as possible. Whereas we might be serving up the Gerber’s version of squashed carrots or mushed green beans, my mom was spooning in rice or green beans and potatoes right off of her plate. If they could chew it, they were getting it. She didn’t discount that Gerber’s had its place, she just preferred to speed up the schedule of transitioning from baby food to regular food. And ultimately that made it easier for us, since given the option of the two foods, they would choose the same food that we were eating. And to my babies, the choice was all about preference. There was nothing spiritual about it.

Application

But outside the walls of Jericho, the change in menu for Joshua and the Israelites was completely spiritual. It was all about faith and believing God’s promise. God had provided manna for them for the entirety of their journeys through the desert. But as they prepared to attack Jericho, the Israelites celebrated the Passover in remembrance of God’s great triumph in Egypt. And the next day, they awoke to an interesting dilemma. That morning, the manna was there as always, but this new bounty produced by the land of Canaan was also available to them. And what would they do? Would they cling to the familiar manna, that which had gotten them to this point but had also lost most of its appeal and significance, or would they eat anew? Would they settle, or would they trust that the manna had prepared them for this new time? Well, they ate of the produce, and the next day, the manna came no more. They were ready to move forward. The promised land awaited.

Charge

As we seek Him today, ask God to lead you in examining the manna in your life. Ask Him for the courage and faith to choose the bounty that He has prepared you for, and it for you.

Salvation – Eternal Life in Less Than 150 Words