Sometimes You Get Manna

The circumstances of being unemployed reminds me of the people of Israel's wandering in the wilderness. That's why I titled my book Unemployed: Life in the Wilderness. The day to day struggles of being without work is just like that dry, lonely, desolate, and desperate situation. In a New York Times article of February 22, 2010 entitled "The New Poor," Peter S. Goodman said, "And now they find themselves in the desert of joblessness." I agree. It's obvious to anyone who's been through it. When you're out there in that wasteland of the newspaper classifieds and internet job sites it is just like being in the desert where Israel found themselves.

But, there were blessings there in the wilderness. The people of Israel didn't even recognize it at the time, but God was taking care of them. He provided for them every day. There were probably over two million of them, counting the women and children, yet God provided food and water every day. Sometimes He provided resources so they could buy food (Deuteronomy 2:5), but He didn't always provide money. In the wilderness God provided that strange and wonderful stuff called manna (Exodus 16:4).

Like Israel, when we are wandering in the desert of joblessness, God provides for us in unexpected ways. We can get help from our friends, families, former business associates, churches, and even from "official" sources of government. To get help we don't need to understand exactly what the help involves. When God provides, sometimes you get manna. When it came to the people of Israel they didn't even know what it was. Their reaction was "what is this" (Exodus 16:15)?

When we have a need, whether it's food or a job, God chooses to assist us according to His own plan. It isn't always by providing a job. Sometimes it's allowing other people to be blessed by helping us. Sometimes we can't even identify the specific source of the help. We just feel better after getting it. And, like Israel, we are told to be grateful for the provision without trying to analyze what it is, how it got there, or even how long it's going to fast. It's just good to get it.

Keep moving forward in the wilderness. Keep thanking God for His provision and sometimes you'll get manna.

Don't worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. Then you will experience God's peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:6,7 (New Living Translation)