Three Truths About Daily Living

Three Truths About Daily Living

After three years, I’m still walking one day at a time. Sometimes I get caught up in making plans, dreaming about the future, and fretting about my past. Most days, I breathe in the moment (or I try to) and I sip my coffee. One cup at a time. One grace-filled day at a time, I seek out God.

As the Israelites walked the desert living, they too lived one day at a time. Their physical food became a metaphor for the spiritual life. Manna, the bread of heaven, and Jesus, the Bread of Life, isn’t meant to be bought in bulk. No discount will be given to those people who want to buy a month’s worth of God’s power. We will have the daily bread we need, only one day at a time, in the pages of scripture.

The manna became more than just their food. The manna was a living, daily reminder of God’s provision. It became a miracle every day. God pays attention to the daily. God could have given them all the manna they would need for the next forty years on that first day. The shoes and clothes they wore never tore or wore out. The food could have been the same.

Instead, He allowed them to live one day at a time. They were not to rush ahead and gather for the future. Today we have God’s Word. It is our manna, our portion for today. As we study the Bible, we find God provides just what we need, just for today. God has called us to walk one day at a time. And as we walk, He provides.

Why does the manna-living feel hard at times? Do I just imagine the bread is for emergencies? Jesus is there for me when I face a crisis, but I fail to seek Him when life is calm.  Don’t think it is easy to seek out the daily provisions in the ordinary days. Because it is the ordinary days I fail to seek Jesus.

It does require the supernatural grace of God to live twenty-four hours in every day as a saint – to go through drudgery as a disciple, to live an ordinary, unobserved, ignored existence as a disciple of Jesus. It is inbred of us that we have to do exceptional things for God; but we have not. We have to be exceptional in the ordinary things, to be holy in mean streets, among mean people.” – Oswald Chambers

We do not want to walk; we want to run. Run fast. Run ahead. We don’t want to wait on paperwork. Or deadlines. Or signatures. We do not want to wait for approvals or court dates. We don’t want to wait on treatments or test results. We do not wait for children to come home. We want to run ahead to the future.

Walking involves His presence. When my life is not rushed, I can see more of God’s presence in my life. You will see Him in the small things and in the details I can find ways to be still and know Him. I put myself in the place of the manna-eating Hebrews.

We always give the children of Israel a hard time. God had just parted the Red Sea. It was the pinnacle of their redemption. They had just witnessed a miracle. Three days later, we find them complaining. But God responds to their complaining with a promise of provision.

Exodus says, “Then the Lord said to Moses, ‘Behold, I am about to rain bread from heaven for you, and the people shall go out and gather a day’s portion every day, that I may test them, whether they will walk in my law or not…Then Moses said…‘Come near before the Lord, for he has heard your grumbling…and in the morning you shall be filled with bread. Then you shall know that I am the Lord your God.’”

I’ve found three truths about Manna (Daily) Living: 

1. Gather Daily. When we live the slow life, the ordinary life, we need to gather our resources. The good part is, we don’t need to gather enough to last the week, or month. We gather enough of God’s presence, promises, and provision for just today. Gather it by reading His word. Even one verse is sometimes enough manna for the day.

2. Come Near. Surely a God who parted the Red Sea, rained down bread, and appeared in a pillar of fire seemed inaccessible. God says, in the daily provision, I am not far away. I am close, near, and stand by me to find your soul filled with satisfaction.

3. Know God. After we gather, coming near to the Lord, we find we know Him better. We know Him more personally. We need to know He is big enough to handle all of the waves and winds of life. We also need to know we aren’t alone on the seas. He is right beside us in the boat…holding us close…letting us rest in His hope and grace. God’s presence is the place to start when we begin to live in the daily.

Manna living will not be learned in one day. It will be a slow process. Even three years later, I find myself having to be reminded to be still and rest during my day. I’ll keep searching God’s Word. I’ll keep lifting my prayers to His throne. A portion is just enough. Enough to satisfy and fill. Is God your portion?

My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever. Psalm 73:26

One of the best ways I’ve found God to be enough, my portion, is reading in His Word every single day. The following worksheet I created to write the word every single day. Some days I have time for deep Bible reading, but when I don’t, I look at the passage I’m studying and I write it out! Below you will find some printable Write the Word Sheets (brand new!)

DOWNLOAD THEM HERE.**If you love these, I have more I created which you can get for FREE when you purchase the “Coming Home” Devotional with Bonuses!**