Do you have enough?

“And they gathered it (manna) every morning, every man according to his eating: and when the sun waxed hot, it melted.” Exodus‬ ‭16:21‬ ‭KJV‬‬ (My additional word)

Today is a day to be thankful. And thankfulness is a lesson we can learn from the Israelites…not that they excelled at it. They learned to take enough manna, a food that fell from heaven, that fed their family for one day.

Enough, defined in the original 1828 Webster dictionary, “is a quantity or degree that satisfies.”

So many crises have hit our communities over the past year and a half.

Depending on what part of the country you live in, the threat of safety may have been more often or something you witnessed regularly from afar.

My family survived a snowstorm last year, unheard of for this state. Living days without running water and electricity taught us about having enough.

Mistakes In the Desert

In the book of Exodus, the Israelites had the same concerns we do when day-to-day living is stress-filled.

Food.

Knowing our next meal is in our refrigerator makes sleeping more rest-filled. And work is easier to focus on.

If you don’t know where your next meal will come from, anxiety can take over your thoughts. 

More Than Enough

So we do as the Israelites did, and take more than we need. Instead of looking towards the One who is more than enough.

Truthful moment.

Every time I go to the grocery store, that is H-E-B or Walmart for our location, I do a gut check. Am I purchasing out of fear or wisdom?

Fear takes more than enough, what my family needs, off the shelf.

Wisdom purchases what we need to make it, with a sensible backup, for seven days.

The Israelites at first gathered more than they needed for one day. In doing so, the food spoiled. And there were maggots in the ruined remains. Yuck!

Fear of not having enough destroys what we do have.

The Israelites were provided with enough food for that one day.

Is your ‘enough’ ruined by what someone else has?

Spending time on social media can push buttons.

Oooh, look at what so and so is doing, has, or is experiencing.

It spoils the ‘enough’ in your life. Like the spoiled extras of the Israelites.

Abundance is not the answer.

God provided food to all the Israelites. (Except for Sabbath. Read Exodus chapter 16 if you want to learn about that loophole.) Each morning, they saw all the manna.

All the manna.

Can you see a field full of manna for each family? And more. Temptation amounts were left before them every day! 

Seeing all that was available, they took only a portion. What they needed for their household for one day.

Enough is very good.

Lord,

Thank you for enough.

Enough:

Love 

Food

Family

Friends

Community

Clothing

Warmth

Health

Where I have more than enough, help me to share with another.

In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Answer in the comments: What are you thanking God for ‘enough of today?

Happy Thanksgiving from my family to yours! May your day be filled with enough!