Sunday 2 August
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Welcome once more to our message for today on the Goodness of God. I do hope you find it useful and encouraging.
Reading: - Exodus 16 Manna and Quail (New International Version)
1 The whole Israelite community set out from Elim and came to the Desert of Sin, which is between Elim and Sinai, on the fifteenth day of the second month after they had come out of Egypt. 2 In the desert, the whole community grumbled against Moses and Aaron. 3 The Israelites said to them, “If only we had died by the Lord’s hand in Egypt! There we sat around pots of meat and ate all the food we wanted, but you have brought us out into this desert to starve this entire assembly to death.”
4 Then the Lord said to Moses, “I will rain down bread from heaven for you. The people are to go out each day and gather enough for that day. In this way I will test them and see whether they will follow my instructions. 5 On the sixth day they are to prepare what they bring in, and that is to be twice as much as they gather on the other days.”
6 So Moses and Aaron said to all the Israelites, “In the evening you will know that it was the Lord who brought you out of Egypt, 7 and in the morning you will see the glory of the Lord, because he has heard your grumbling against him. Who are we, that you should grumble against us?” 8 Moses also said, “You will know that it was the Lord when he gives you meat to eat in the evening and all the bread you want in the morning, because he has heard your grumbling against him. Who are we? You are not grumbling against us, but against the Lord.”
9 Then Moses told Aaron, “Say to the entire Israelite community, ‘Come before the Lord, for he has heard your grumbling.’”
10 While Aaron was speaking to the whole Israelite community, they looked toward the desert, and there was the glory of the Lord appearing in the cloud.
11 The Lord said to Moses, 12 “I have heard the grumbling of the Israelites. Tell them, ‘At twilight you will eat meat, and in the morning, you will be filled with bread. Then you will know that I am the Lord your God.’”
13 That evening quail came and covered the camp, and in the morning, there was a layer of dew around the camp. 14 When the dew was gone, thin flakes like frost on the ground appeared on the desert floor. 15 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. 16 This is what the Lord has commanded: ‘Everyone is to gather as much as they need. Take an omer[a] for each person you have in your tent.’”
17 The Israelites did as they were told; some gathered much, some little. 18 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.
20 However, some of them paid no attention to Moses; they kept part of it until morning, but it was full of maggots and began to smell. So, Moses was angry with them.
21 Each morning everyone gathered as much as they needed, and when the sun grew hot, it melted away. 22 On the sixth day, they gathered twice as much—two omers[b] for each person—and the leaders of the community came and reported this to Moses. 23 He said to them, “This is what the Lord commanded: ‘Tomorrow is to be a day of sabbath rest, a holy sabbath to the Lord. So bake what you want to bake and boil what you want to boil. Save whatever is left and keep it until morning.’”
24 So they saved it until morning, as Moses commanded, and it did not stink or get maggots in it. 25 “Eat it today,” Moses said, “because today is a sabbath to the Lord. You will not find any of it on the ground today. 26 Six days you are to gather it, but on the seventh day, the Sabbath, there will not be any.”
27 Nevertheless, some of the people went out on the seventh day to gather it, but they found none. 28 Then the Lord said to Moses, “How long will you[c] refuse to keep my commands and my instructions? 29 Bear in mind that the Lord has given you the Sabbath; that is why on the sixth day he gives you bread for two days. Everyone is to stay where they are on the seventh day; no one is to go out.” 30 So the people rested on the seventh day.
31 The people of Israel called the bread manna.[d] It was white like coriander seed and tasted like wafers made with honey. 32 Moses said, “This is what the Lord has commanded: ‘Take an omer of manna and keep it for the generations to come, so they can see the bread I gave you to eat in the wilderness when I brought you out of Egypt.’”
33 So Moses said to Aaron, “Take a jar and put an omer of manna in it. Then place it before the Lord to be kept for the generations to come.”
34 As the Lord commanded Moses, Aaron put the manna with the tablets of the covenant law, so that it might be preserved. 35 The Israelites ate manna forty years, until they came to a land that was settled; they ate manna until they reached the border of Canaan.
Message: - My God is good to me – stories to build our faith.
I have a couple of stories of God’s goodness to me I can share but I would rather hear your stories. Is there anyone who would like to share first? Time for a couple of stories then mine: -
Joyce and I wanted to update our caravan way back in 2008. I had just drawn down my BT pension and we planned to invest some of my lump sum. I found a twin axle that had the size and layout and arranged to buy it. Located just outside Leeds, we arranged to travel down for it a few days later at the weekend. Then on the Thursday evening just as I was going to book a travel lodge for the Friday evening, I had a text. “Caravan sold”. Rather than being upset we thanked God for closing the door and prayed the buyer and seller were both happy.
Back on the search again, just a week later, I found an identical caravan near Crew. It needed a little TLC but looked like a good caravan so we arranged to go and get it, again at the weekend. It needed a good clean and the cooker glass top needed replaced. We agreed to take it and paid cash. This is where it gets interesting. The first one was £6700. The second one, bear in mind it was identical, was £2000. Better still the seller gave me back what was effectively a tithe on the price. He gave me £200 to cover the petrol. £3900 cheaper, same van. God of the impossible indeed.
A chance for a second couple of stories and then mine: -
When Joyce was due to have our eldest daughter, she needed an emergency C-section. I was allowed to be in theatre until the moment of birth then kicked out and forgotten about. Joyce, in the meantime, had been all tidied up and was back on the ward by the time I found a nurse to take me to her, an hour or so later. She had just been told by a doctor that they didn’t expect our baby to live! Bombshell or what? This was in Elsie Ingles in Abbeyhill. The doctor was a consultant from Simpson Maternity called down to give a second opinion. Where does one go with news like that? I was able to go and see her and from the second I put my hand into the incubator and she took my little finger in her hand I knew! I knew my God of the impossible was in charge and all would be well, and it was.
I would like us to share our prayers of appreciation for these stories and what they mean to those telling them. Perhaps we could all take time to say something, as you feel inclined. Then once it goes quiet and you have had some time to say your silent prayers, I will round up with a short prayer.
God of the impossible, God of the insignificant, God of the amazing we bring to you the awe we feel at your majesty and the work you are doing in our lives. We thank you for all these stories and ask that you will root them into our hearts. We pray that these stories of your goodness will be good for our faith help us to grow strong in you that we might be better able to be a light in our world. To your glory. Amen.
Reading: - Exodus 16 Manna and Quail (New International Version)
1 The whole Israelite community set out from Elim and came to the Desert of Sin, which is between Elim and Sinai, on the fifteenth day of the second month after they had come out of Egypt. 2 In the desert, the whole community grumbled against Moses and Aaron. 3 The Israelites said to them, “If only we had died by the Lord’s hand in Egypt! There we sat around pots of meat and ate all the food we wanted, but you have brought us out into this desert to starve this entire assembly to death.”
4 Then the Lord said to Moses, “I will rain down bread from heaven for you. The people are to go out each day and gather enough for that day. In this way I will test them and see whether they will follow my instructions. 5 On the sixth day they are to prepare what they bring in, and that is to be twice as much as they gather on the other days.”
6 So Moses and Aaron said to all the Israelites, “In the evening you will know that it was the Lord who brought you out of Egypt, 7 and in the morning you will see the glory of the Lord, because he has heard your grumbling against him. Who are we, that you should grumble against us?” 8 Moses also said, “You will know that it was the Lord when he gives you meat to eat in the evening and all the bread you want in the morning, because he has heard your grumbling against him. Who are we? You are not grumbling against us, but against the Lord.”
9 Then Moses told Aaron, “Say to the entire Israelite community, ‘Come before the Lord, for he has heard your grumbling.’”
10 While Aaron was speaking to the whole Israelite community, they looked toward the desert, and there was the glory of the Lord appearing in the cloud.
11 The Lord said to Moses, 12 “I have heard the grumbling of the Israelites. Tell them, ‘At twilight you will eat meat, and in the morning, you will be filled with bread. Then you will know that I am the Lord your God.’”
13 That evening quail came and covered the camp, and in the morning, there was a layer of dew around the camp. 14 When the dew was gone, thin flakes like frost on the ground appeared on the desert floor. 15 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. 16 This is what the Lord has commanded: ‘Everyone is to gather as much as they need. Take an omer[a] for each person you have in your tent.’”
17 The Israelites did as they were told; some gathered much, some little. 18 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.
20 However, some of them paid no attention to Moses; they kept part of it until morning, but it was full of maggots and began to smell. So, Moses was angry with them.
21 Each morning everyone gathered as much as they needed, and when the sun grew hot, it melted away. 22 On the sixth day, they gathered twice as much—two omers[b] for each person—and the leaders of the community came and reported this to Moses. 23 He said to them, “This is what the Lord commanded: ‘Tomorrow is to be a day of sabbath rest, a holy sabbath to the Lord. So bake what you want to bake and boil what you want to boil. Save whatever is left and keep it until morning.’”
24 So they saved it until morning, as Moses commanded, and it did not stink or get maggots in it. 25 “Eat it today,” Moses said, “because today is a sabbath to the Lord. You will not find any of it on the ground today. 26 Six days you are to gather it, but on the seventh day, the Sabbath, there will not be any.”
27 Nevertheless, some of the people went out on the seventh day to gather it, but they found none. 28 Then the Lord said to Moses, “How long will you[c] refuse to keep my commands and my instructions? 29 Bear in mind that the Lord has given you the Sabbath; that is why on the sixth day he gives you bread for two days. Everyone is to stay where they are on the seventh day; no one is to go out.” 30 So the people rested on the seventh day.
31 The people of Israel called the bread manna.[d] It was white like coriander seed and tasted like wafers made with honey. 32 Moses said, “This is what the Lord has commanded: ‘Take an omer of manna and keep it for the generations to come, so they can see the bread I gave you to eat in the wilderness when I brought you out of Egypt.’”
33 So Moses said to Aaron, “Take a jar and put an omer of manna in it. Then place it before the Lord to be kept for the generations to come.”
34 As the Lord commanded Moses, Aaron put the manna with the tablets of the covenant law, so that it might be preserved. 35 The Israelites ate manna forty years, until they came to a land that was settled; they ate manna until they reached the border of Canaan.
Message: - My God is good to me – stories to build our faith.
I have a couple of stories of God’s goodness to me I can share but I would rather hear your stories. Is there anyone who would like to share first? Time for a couple of stories then mine: -
Joyce and I wanted to update our caravan way back in 2008. I had just drawn down my BT pension and we planned to invest some of my lump sum. I found a twin axle that had the size and layout and arranged to buy it. Located just outside Leeds, we arranged to travel down for it a few days later at the weekend. Then on the Thursday evening just as I was going to book a travel lodge for the Friday evening, I had a text. “Caravan sold”. Rather than being upset we thanked God for closing the door and prayed the buyer and seller were both happy.
Back on the search again, just a week later, I found an identical caravan near Crew. It needed a little TLC but looked like a good caravan so we arranged to go and get it, again at the weekend. It needed a good clean and the cooker glass top needed replaced. We agreed to take it and paid cash. This is where it gets interesting. The first one was £6700. The second one, bear in mind it was identical, was £2000. Better still the seller gave me back what was effectively a tithe on the price. He gave me £200 to cover the petrol. £3900 cheaper, same van. God of the impossible indeed.
A chance for a second couple of stories and then mine: -
When Joyce was due to have our eldest daughter, she needed an emergency C-section. I was allowed to be in theatre until the moment of birth then kicked out and forgotten about. Joyce, in the meantime, had been all tidied up and was back on the ward by the time I found a nurse to take me to her, an hour or so later. She had just been told by a doctor that they didn’t expect our baby to live! Bombshell or what? This was in Elsie Ingles in Abbeyhill. The doctor was a consultant from Simpson Maternity called down to give a second opinion. Where does one go with news like that? I was able to go and see her and from the second I put my hand into the incubator and she took my little finger in her hand I knew! I knew my God of the impossible was in charge and all would be well, and it was.
I would like us to share our prayers of appreciation for these stories and what they mean to those telling them. Perhaps we could all take time to say something, as you feel inclined. Then once it goes quiet and you have had some time to say your silent prayers, I will round up with a short prayer.
God of the impossible, God of the insignificant, God of the amazing we bring to you the awe we feel at your majesty and the work you are doing in our lives. We thank you for all these stories and ask that you will root them into our hearts. We pray that these stories of your goodness will be good for our faith help us to grow strong in you that we might be better able to be a light in our world. To your glory. Amen.