In the desert, the Israelites were hungry. They start to grumble against their leaders and fondly remember Egypt sitting around "pots of meat and eating all the food they wanted." I love how God responds to their need. He doesn't offer them a theory or a lecture or reprimand them for not "trusting," he just provides them with meat and bread. Not just for one day, but for 40 years until they reach the land of Canaan.

This reminds me of my mother's table. There was always such delicious food on her table that I found myself dreaming about meals during my freshman year of college. The table of the dorm cafeteria was frankly depressing. This is not to say that father's don't also set a beautiful table (in our house for example, my husband is definitely the gourmet chef).

But it reminds me that God "mothers" his children here, feeding their stomachs before he deals with their theology. They will come to remember that he delivered them from Egypt and that they belong to God (Exodus 16:11) but first they eat.

What meal do you need from God today?  For more on the table here is a beautiful poem by George Herbert.

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