Just Enough

The message I heard on Sunday centered on the manna and quail in Exodus.

One part of this chapter resonated within me.

Exodus 16:15 (NRSVue) - When the Israelites saw it, they said to each other, “What is it?” For they did not know what it was. Moses said to them, “It is the bread the Lord has given you to eat.

This ended the reading.

But it made me realize that people, me included, can misunderstand God’s provision.

We may see it, but we do not always understand it.

I then thought about the verses that follow and another struck a chord within me.

Exodus 16:16 (NRSVue) - This is what the Lord has commanded: ‘Everyone is to gather as much as they need. Take an omer for each person you have in your tent.’”

The people were instructed to take as much as they needed, not as much as they wanted.

Some did not heed these instructions and the extra they took went bad.

This angered Moses.

God still provides.

Yet human beings often mistake this providence and apply terms like ‘luck’ or ‘chance.’

And even when we do recognize God’s role as provider, we are tempted to take more than what we need.

We might even be upset that the provision was not enough to suit us.

As a provider, God knows our needs.

He will give us enough to meet those needs.

And our response should be one of gratitude.

 

Blessings,

Jim Pokorny

The Other Brother Jim

Look for me at otherbrotherjim.blogspot.com on Friday, February 27, 2026.

I will be back here on Friday, March 6, 2026