And he humbled you and let you hunger and fed you with manna, which you did not know, nor did your fathers know, that he might make you know that man does not live by bread alone, but man lives by every word that comes from the mouth of the LORD.
So often in rags to riches stories, the newly rich man forgets where he came from and the story becomes a tragedy. God had reminded the Israelites that he had brought them out of bondage in Egypt and led them through the wilderness. He concluded with a reminder that he also fed them for those forty years with manna. Instead of praising God for the provision of it, they grumbled about the blandness of it. Their dependence on God led to this statement that comes up later in the gospels. Man does not live on bread alone but on every word that comes from the mouth of God. The speaker was Jesus Christ and the audience was Satan.
We are constantly tempted in this consumerist world to think we deserve more and that the best food is our right. I fall into that trap often in restaurant-rich Cape May. We often forget where Jesus rescued us from and how ungrateful we can be. He humbles us into remembrance of who he is, who we are, and what he did for us. Then we can be content with our circumstances and seek to know and enjoy only the word of God. May we pray today for that godly contentment and praise God for it.
Dear Lord, thank you for redeeming us and humbling us in our walk with you and thank you for leading us. May we be constantly hearing your word. In Jesus’ name. Amen.
Pastor Brad Boyer
Cape Community Church