Daily Manna #3
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Psalm 63:1
O God, thou art my God; early will I seek thee:
my soul thirsteth for thee,
my flesh longeth for thee in a dry and thirsty land,
where no water is
my soul thirsteth for thee,
my flesh longeth for thee in a dry and thirsty land,
where no water is
Context:
David writes this psalm while in the wilderness of Judah, expressing his deep spiritual hunger during a time of physical hardship.
Commentary | Charles Spurgeon
The early morning hour has its special promise. In the dew of dawn, we find the freshness of God's mercies renewed. David teaches us that spiritual appetite, like physical hunger, should drive us to seek satisfaction in God first, before all else. When we make God our early morning feast, we find strength for the day ahead.
What would change in your life if you approached your morning time with God with the same urgency as your need for breakfast?
š¤ļø John 6:35
And Jesus said unto them, I am the bread of life:
he that cometh to me shall never hunger;
and he that believeth on me shall never thirst.
he that cometh to me shall never hunger;
and he that believeth on me shall never thirst.
Context:
Jesus had just miraculously fed the 5,000, using this physical miracle to teach about spiritual nourishment.
Commentary | Augustine
What bread does your soul hunger for? Your soul hungers for righteousness. If you hunger for righteousness, you hunger for Christ, for He is righteousness. He calls Himself bread ā the living bread that came down from heaven. Here is a feast that satisfies yet creates a holy appetite for more.
In what ways have you been trying to satisfy your spiritual hunger with things other than Christ?
āļø Deuteronomy 8:3
And he humbled thee, and suffered thee to hunger,
and fed thee with manna, which thou knewest not,
neither did thy fathers know;
that he might make thee know that man doth not live by bread only,
but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of the Lord
doth man live.
and fed thee with manna, which thou knewest not,
neither did thy fathers know;
that he might make thee know that man doth not live by bread only,
but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of the Lord
doth man live.
Context:
Moses reminds Israel of God's provision in the wilderness, teaching them the deeper purpose behind their physical trials.
Commentary | John Calvin
God's purpose in giving the manna was not merely to feed their bodies, but to teach them dependence upon His word. Our daily bread should remind us of our need for daily grace, and that true sustenance comes not from earth but heaven.
How might your current challenges be God's way of teaching you to depend more fully on His Word?
š 1 Kings 19:7-8
And the angel of the Lord came again the second time,
and touched him, and said, Arise and eat;
because the journey is too great for thee.
And he arose, and did eat and drink,
and went in the strength of that meat forty days and forty nights
unto Horeb the mount of God.
and touched him, and said, Arise and eat;
because the journey is too great for thee.
And he arose, and did eat and drink,
and went in the strength of that meat forty days and forty nights
unto Horeb the mount of God.
Context:
Elijah, fleeing from Jezebel, receives supernatural nourishment for his journey to Mount Horeb.
Commentary | Thomas Brooks
God knows our frame and provides not just for our present need but for the journey ahead. The food that sustained Elijah was physical, yet it carried spiritual significance ā teaching us that God's provision always exceeds our expectation and reaches beyond our immediate circumstances.
What spiritual food is God providing you today that might be preparation for tomorrow's journey?
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Psalm 23:5
Thou preparest a table before me
in the presence of mine enemies:
thou anointest my head with oil;
my cup runneth over.
in the presence of mine enemies:
thou anointest my head with oil;
my cup runneth over.
Context:
David depicts God as a gracious host who provides abundance even in the midst of conflict.
Commentary | Charles Spurgeon
What a feast! And in what strange circumstances! While enemies prowl, God prepares not just sustenance, but a banquet. Here is royal provision in the face of opposition. The Lord's table is never bare, and His invitation never withdrawn. Even in our darkest hour, He bids us come and dine.
How can you practice recognizing God's abundant provision even in the midst of life's challenges?