In the wilderness, God tells us to trust that his provision is better. For the Israelites, that provision is bread—manna. “When the layer of dew lifted, there on the surface of the wilderness was a flaky substance, as fine as frost on the ground. When the Israelites saw it, they said to one another, ‘What is it?’ For they did know what it was’” (Exod. 16:14-15). The manna is named for its very “what-ness”—the fact that the Israelites didn’t recognize what it was.
Departures
I can understand departure on a deeply personal level. Three years ago, I left my home of nearly 20 years to set out on a new journey. I crossed over a threshold to come to a new place, invited to a new home. Jesus has come with me, and I am grateful. Through this story, I can recognize elements of my own invitation to depart and to make my home in a different place.