That evening quail came and covered the camp, and in the morning. . . . thin flakes like frost on the ground appeared on the desert floor.

— Exodus 16:13-14

Do you remember the shortages that people faced during the COVID-19 pandemic? In some areas, it seemed there was no yeast or bread to be found. Supply chains were interrupted, and it was difficult for many people to find some basic things that they needed.

The Israelites faced a scarcity of food in the desert, and they complained bitterly to Moses and Aaron. But there was a problem with the people’s perspective. They didn’t trust God, who had shown his great power by freeing them from slavery in Egypt (Exodus 12-14). Their cravings, and their confused memories, left them short-sighted and unhappy—and they began to say they were better off in Egypt!

Nevertheless, God provided for them by giving them meat every evening and “bread from heaven” every morning. That very evening, “quail came and covered the camp,” and the people ate heartily. And in the morning they found flakes on the ground that they could eat and make into bread. They called it manna. But it wasn’t long before the people were grumbling and complaining again.

How humbling it can be to realize that we often do the same: we get focused on something that we think we need in order to be happy, and we overlook the goodness that God is already pouring into our lives each day.

Lord, forgive us for letting our cravings get the best of us. Help us to be content, knowing that every good gift we receive is from you. Amen.