Exodus 16

"In the morning you will see the Lord's glory because He has heard your complaints about Him."

Exodus 16:7a

After wandering in the wilderness for a while, the people of Israel get upset with God.  They complain that it would have been better to die in Egypt where they had food than to starve in the wilderness.  God hears their cry and begins to provide manna for them to eat.

The Lord uses this manna to test them.  He tells them how much to collect per person - enough for one day.  Those people who collected more than their share found that it turned to maggots by the next morning.

The manna came every morning, except the Sabbath.  On the sixth day, God told His people to collect twice as much, so that they could observe the day of rest on the seventh day.  When the people followed God's instructions, they were no longer hungry.

This whole chapter reminds me of Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs.  For anyone who's not familiar with this concept, Maslow was a psychologist who was famous for showing us humanity's personal needs in a whole new way.  This hierarchy is a simple pyramid-style chart, with physiological needs (such as breathing and sustenance) at the base.  Only after these needs are met can we begin to meet the next stage on the pyramid, etc., on up to the top tier: self-actualization.  In this particular case, the Israelites cannot worship God appropriately because they are hungry.  God knows how He made us, so He understands this predicament.  He gave His people food to eat so that they would once again be able to worship.  But he only gave this manna after His people cried out in hunger.

Question: What needs do you have that stand in the way of your worship?  Are you hungry?  Do you fear for your safety?  Do you feel alone and rejected?  Are you asking God to fill these needs so that you may worship Him more freely?