The Israelites Did as They Were Told: When Enough Is Truly Enough

PRAYER OF CONSECRATION Wake up, sleeper, rise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you.  Jesus, I belong to you. I lift up my heart to you. I set my mind on you. I fix my eyes on you. I offer my body to you as a living sacrifice. Jesus, we belong to you.  Praying in the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit, amen.  Exodus 16:13–18 That evening quail came and covered the camp, and in the morning there was a layer of dew around the camp. When the dew was gone, thin flakes like frost on the ground appeared on the desert floor. When the Israelites saw it, they said to each other, “What is it?” For they did not know what it was. Moses said to them, “It is the bread the Lord has given you to eat. This is what the Lord has commanded: ‘Everyone is to gather as much as they need. Take an omer for each person you have in your tent.’” The Israelites did as they were told; some gathered much, some little. And when they measured it by the omer, the one who gathered much did not have too much, and the one who gathered little did not have too little. Everyone had gathered just as much as they needed. CONSIDER THIS Give us this day our daily bread . . . and quail. Cloud by day. Fire by night. Quail in the evening. Bread in the morning. There is a word between the words in today’s text. It is not written in English, but clearly present. See if you can spot it: The Israelites did as they were told; some gathered much, some little. And when they measured it by the omer, the one who gathered much did not have too much, and the one who gathered little did not have too little. Everyone had gathered just as much as they needed. Enough. That’s the unwritten word. No one had too much. No one had too little. Everyone had enough. Over the centuries, people and societies have attempted to accomplish this outcome. From cults to communes and from communism to utopian visions of socialist nations, these idealistic fantasies always fail. Why? This kind of outcome cannot be legislated or governed into existence. Why? Because this is the kingdom of God we are talking about, not the kingdoms of this world. So does this mean a community where everyone has enough is a pipe dream and not possible in a fallen world? No. Nothing is impossible with God. It brings us to seven of what may be the most remarkable words in today’s text (if not in the whole Bible). They are the secret to the miracle of enough. The Israelites did as they were told. The pathway toward enough is found through obedience to God alone. Obedience is perhaps the greatest lesson the wilderness can teach us. There's not really a word for obey in the Hebrew language. The concept of obedience is derived from the Hebrew word Shema, which means "to hear." It's like when you don't do what your mom told you and she says, "Do you hear me?" Obedience is not compliance with the rules, rather it is a demonstration by faith. And where does the Bible say faith comes from? Yes, hearing. "Faith comes by hearing and hearing by the Word of God" (Rom. 10:17). Bringing it full circle, remember the Shema, "Hear O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one" (Deut. 6:4). Obedience is all about trusting the one you are listening to.  Sure, it is perhaps naive to believe that everyone will one day obey God. If so, call me naive. And, truth be told, it only takes a few to get the movement going. Obedience is contagious because once a few people start to obey, the Holy Spirit brings the momentum of movement. Others, who perhaps lacked the courage at first, will begin to lean in and join the movement. I think that's what Jesus had in mind when he said this: “Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age” (Matt. 28:19–20, italics added). When you think about it, that’s what we are trying to do together here with the Wake-Up Call—to help each other hear the Word of God; even to teach one another to obey everything Jesus commanded us. Let’s do our job. The best news? We have the Word of God and the Spirit of God and the Lord of the church on the job with us. Completing the circle now: Obedience is enough. It is the enough that leads to enoughness—which is all we need to flourish.  THE PRAYER FOR DELIVERANCE Lord Jesus, you are my Deliverer. I confess, I am part hard-of-hearing and part hard-hearted and somehow I know those two things are connected. Would you deliver me from both my deafness as it comes to hearing your Word and hard-heartedness as it comes to trusting what you say. Deliver me into a keenness of hearing; of having a heart that listens intently and trusts instinctively. I do love you with all my heart, and with all my soul, and with all my mind, and with all my strength. Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost. As it was in the beginning, is now and ever shall be. World with out end, amen! Amen!