Passivity Or Pursuit

Day after day, when the Israelites wandered the desert, the manna came. 

Day after day, the Lord was faithful to supernaturally rain down manna from heaven, but His children still had to leave their tent to gather it and make something of it. Sometimes when my teenagers get hungry, they complain, “Mom, there isn’t any food in the house, there’s only ingredients.”

I think many of us tend to have that same attitude toward God. We want Him to rain down fully formed loaves, but He gives us ingredients instead. Indeed, He supplies all our need, but there is still effort required on our part to gather what He provides and make something of it. Abiding in Christ is not accomplished in passivity, but by pursuit. 

During the week, when I get home from work, I’m exhausted. I don’t feel like gathering spiritual ingredients and making anything of them, I just want a fully-formed loaf. I want the bread of idleness to feed my tired mind and flesh. In moments like that, the Lord reminds me that conquering the “giants of the land” includes conquering my desire to feed my flesh with idleness, instead of the words and presence of Christ. In moments like that, the Lord reminds me that it is my pursuit of relationship with Him in which I find my rest. 

O Lord, help us remember that our vigor to persevere and conquer comes from abiding in You. We praise You for being our fountain that never runs dry. 

(John 15:4) Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself unless it abides in the vine, so neither can you unless you abide in Me.

(John 6:32-35) Jesus said to them, “Truly, truly, I tell you, it was not Moses who gave you the bread from heaven, but it is My Father who gives you the true bread from heaven. For the bread of God is He who comes down from heaven and gives life to the world.” “Sir,” they said, “give us this bread at all times.” Then Jesus declared, “I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never go hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty.

(Ps 62:1,2,5) In God alone my soul finds rest; my salvation comes from Him. He alone is my rock and my salvation. He is my fortress; I will never be shaken…Rest in God alone, O my soul, for my hope comes from Him.