Wednesday 12 November 2014

Background

Bread of heaven! What more could they want? This quarrelsomepeople had got what they asked for, but also more than they hadbargained for.

We need to step back a bit to understand. For years the Hebrewshad been in captivity, working as slaves. This oppressive grind hadbeen meat and drink to them for generations. There seemed to be noway out. If they prayed at all it would have been for release. Thena baby was born. A song I wrote, set to the Calypso Carol,encapsulates part of the story:

Little baby that the Levitebore,
floating safely in a boat of straw,
hidden from the Pharoah's cruel law,
Moses set your people free...

O now march withthem right through the sea,
there are more ways than slavery;
show that there's another way to be.
O Moses set your people free.

But what good can a baby do? This baby grew into a man with someinfluence. He became recognised as the first priest and prophet ofthe people of Israel. He would represent the people to God and Godto the people, and the plan for release was set: 

Moses grew in statureas a man,
had a scheme, a cunning little plan,
showed that in God's strength a human can
help to set the people free...

The people's prayer was answered, and the plan was enacted.Initially there was celebration, but soon the grim reality of lifein the wilderness hit the people: they grumbled and lost faith. Godand Moses heard their cry - "you have brought us out into thiswilderness to kill this whole assembly with hunger" (v. 3).

The answer to this plea was the gift of manna, bread of heavenif you like. Problem solved. But God and Moses together recognisedthat people are inherently greedy and easily faithless. So thebounty was reliable, but also limited. Prayer was again answeredbut providence, even of the bread of heaven, was not to be takenfor granted.

To Ponder

• We need to be careful about what we pray for! Have you ever gotmore than you bargained for in answer to prayer? Whathappened?

• If you wish for a different life, what would you pray for?