Today's Manna

I had some time to study at school and it seemed like everything I read was manna in the wilderness and perhaps it will feed you too. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Ps.37:34-"Wait on the Lord and keep His way, and He shall exalt you to inherit the land." Prov. 10:3-"The LORD will not allow the righteous soul to famish..." ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ I started reading the book of Hosea. He was a prophet in Israel and God told him to marry a harlot in order to portray God's covenant with Israel and their unfaithfulness to Him. The name 'Hosea' means 'Salvation' or 'Deliverance.' The name of Hosea's wife, 'Gomer' means 'cease, come to an end, fail.' So God told Hosea, the deliverer, to take that which had come to an end; that which was a perfect failure, to be his wife. Wow. I read chapter one. Gomer bore Hosea three children. God told Hosea to name the first one "Jezreel" meaning 'God Scatters' or 'God sows.' God would scatter His people and bring an end to Israel as a kingdom. A second child, a daughter, was born, and God told Hosea to name her "Lo-Ruhamah" which means 'No mercy.' God would no longer show mercy to Israel. Judah, however, remained as true worshipers of God. A third child, a son, was born, and God told Hosea to name him "Lo-Ammi, meaning 'Not My People'. God said these horrifying words, "You are not my people and I will not be your God." At the end of that sad first chapter, there is a promise of a future and a hope. God tells them that in the place where it was said "Lo-Ammi"-'You are not my people', they will be called 'Sons of the Living God. And in the place where they were called "Jezreel"- and were scattered, God would gather them together and appoint them one head. And God would show them mercy instead of 'no mercy'-"Lo-Ruhamah". And so, He would restore them to Himself, because they did not know how to return to Him. God, the Deliverer, draws to Himself in merciful loving-kindness, that which is a perfect, complete failure. If I were not in the computer lab with a senior who is working on his thesis, I would lay my head down and sob. Holy, Merciful, Long-suffering, Patient, Loving God. I love you so. Thank you for calling me your own, and for gathering me into your bosom and for covering me with your wings of mercy. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Luke 12:47,48-"And that servant who knew his master's will, and did not prepare himself or do according to his will, shall be beaten with many stripes. But he who did not know, yet committed things deserving of stripes, shall be beaten with few. For everyone to whom much is given, from him much will be required; and to whom much has been committed, of him they will ask the more." In another place in scripture it says that to him who has, even more will be given him. I see it as an open ended circle that spirals upward. To him who has, more will be given, and to whom much is given, much is required, and to him who is faithful in the small things, to him will be granted larger things and to him who has, more will be given and to him who is given much, much is required, and so on, upwards and upwards, from strength to strength, and from glory to glory, for the praise and honor of His holy name. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 1 Cor. 11:7, 19, 26~"Man is the image and glory of God." Wow. That would improve our self-image of our worth and purpose if we went around meditating on those few powerful words.// "There are divisions in the church in order to recognize clearly those who are approved." Sometimes, this takes awhile.// "We eat the bread and drink the cup and so proclaim the death of Christ until He comes." I wonder if we would forget to remember His brokenness and bleeding if we didn't observe The Lord's Table. I have a dear friend who observes this kind of remembrance of Him-the cup and the bread- in her communion with Him every day. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Break thou the Bread of Life, dear Lord to me... Thank you for feeding me in such a way that I am full and yet ever hungry for more.