Manna

As you may know, I recently turned twenty-three. It's a pretty significant age, if you ask me. It's my first year of adulthood. My first year of being completely independent: financially, emotionally, physically. I'm  making the money, paying the bills, feeding the... well, feeding me. It's a really incredible experience, one that I am ever thankful for. I'll never get tired of looking at the glowing lamp and thinking "hey, I paid for that to be lit"! But with all of this added responsibility comes a lot of other things: stress, worry, monotony. I find myself looking back on this last year of my life with a lot of questions: where did it go? What have I accomplished? What is my purpose?

Whether you're experiencing this first year of freedom/independence/adulthood alongside me or you're a weathered veteran one thing is certain: it's easy to get bogged down. So I have adopted a phrase, one that I repeat to myself as a little reminder every day... a motto, if you will: fresh manna. 

To me, fresh manna is a lifestyle. In the bible, we are first introduced to manna in Exodus 16. It's a promise that God gives to His people and also a lesson in obedience. He provides manna each night and the Israelites are to collect just enough for each member of their household. We're told that though some collect much and some collect little they all (miraculously) end up with just enough for the day. Those who try to save for the next day awaken to find it infested with maggots and beginning to smell. 

Though we aren't living in a time when we are actually to go out and collect manna each day (I think that's why Panera Bread Company was created), I've found much happiness and contentment in applying the same principles to my life. I wake up each day and focus on the fact that today is a new beginning. There is no use clinging to the blessings or frustrations of yesterday and no merit in worrying over what tomorrow will bring. Each moment should be lived to the fullest and appreciated for what it is because it can't be saved for tomorrow. God will provide just enough for you each day... and even if you look at your peers and think "they have so many more blessings" you can rest in knowing that God will provide just enough for each of us every day... He's good like that. I think present day society would call him an "equal opportunity" God. 

So when you're feeling a little stale or getting lost in the monotony and looking to the future for comfort, remember that everyday we're given fresh manna.