Manna replaced

Friends,

One of the most difficult things to do is grow. Growth requires that we leave things behind so that we can embrace that which is yet to be experienced. We smile and think it very cute when a little child speaks of her imaginary friend as though her existence should be quite apparent and obvious. But we react differently when an adult does the same.

Likewise, the great experiences of our youth easily take on a larger than life importance when we are children. But with age, we gain understanding and context. We retain the memories, and never deny those events. But we realize that those events were not as important as we thought they were. We've let go of their original significance, and replaced it with a more appropriate and more mature perspective. We've grown.

"Our fathers ate the manna in the desert; as it is written, ‘He gave them bread from heaven to eat.'" Then Jesus said to them, Most assuredly, I say to you, Moses did not give you the bread from heaven, but My Father gives you the true bread from heaven. For the bread of God is He who comes down from heaven and gives life to the world. John 6:31-33 [NKJV]

The people of Israel never forgot what the LORD had done for them in the desert, feeding them with life-giving manna. It was real. It was important.

But now, God was calling them to grow past that memory and embrace the fulfillment of what the manna symbolized. The manna sustained them physically, but only for a single lifetime. Jesus, on the other hand, is the bread of life. And He sustains us for eternity.

Be encouraged, Jose