After the Israelites left Egypt, they were led through the desert for many years. There isn’t a lot of food in a desert, you know, and they got hungry. Then the complaining started. “Why did we ever leave Egypt?” they grumbled. “We had all kinds of good things to eat there. So what if we had to slave 24/7! Let’s go back.”
In spite of their ungrateful attitude, God said, “OK, I’ll give you food. Every morning when you wake up, you’ll see this white stuff on the ground. Its manna. Take as much as you’ll need for each day, but no more.”
Most of the people did just as God said. The moms shared recipes for making roasted manna, toasted manna, and grilled manna. Some people, though, gathered more manna than they really needed and saved it till the next morning. What a mistake! Their manna was full of maggots and, wow, did it stink!
Sometimes we’re just like those Israelites.
God gives us good things every day and asks us to use just what we need and to share our extra with others. But we like to hoard, don’t we?
— How can I give an offering on Sunday when, on Monday, my phone may break and I’ll need a new one?
— What if I rake my elderly neighbor’s leaves after school and then have to study when my friend calls and wants me to do something fun?
What if? What if? And we take care of our own needs and ignore our neighbor’s.
On June 7th you will have the opportunity to serve your neighbor. During the Christ Cares Community Service Sunday you can serve. After we worship together at 8:00 am, we will depart Our Redeemer for various locations in the Iowa City, Coralville, and Johnson County area. From playing Bingo to painting the barn, from washing cars to weeding the yard, there are opportunities for all skill and strength levels. Following two hours of service, we return to Our Redeemer to eat and share our experiences.
Being God’s stewards means using all the gifts God gives us – money, time, strength, energy, knowledge – to serve others. Then everyone wins, because God is pleased, others are helped, and you have satisfaction of knowing you could be of benefit to others and have obeyed God’s will at the same time.