Then Moses said to them, “No one is to keep any of the manna until morning.” 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. Each morning everyone gathered as much as they needed, and when the sun grew hot, it melted away. On the sixth day, they gathered twice as much—two omers for each person—and the leaders of the community came and reported this to Moses. 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.’” So they saved it until morning, as Moses commanded, and it did not stink or get maggots in it.

Devotion based on Exodus 16:19-24

Since my heart surgery, I have taken a daily walk on a treadmill. The doctor told me it was a good idea, and it seemed like a healthy habit to me. But one day a week, I refuse to use the treadmill. I did not get this idea from the health experts who recommend taking at least one day off from a daily workout routine each week. I got the idea from the way that the Lord taught the Israelites that he was the one who provided their daily bread.

Six days a week, the Lord provided manna. On those days, the manna spoiled if kept overnight. But on the seventh day, the Sabbath day, the Lord did not provide manna. The manna gathered the day before, on the sixth day, did not spoil overnight. It was still good on the seventh day.

The Lord provides us with food, even on the days we rest. The Lord provides us with health, even on the days we rest. Resting each week is a good way to acknowledge that the Lord provides us with all our blessings. Our Lord Jesus has done all the work that needs to be done.

Prayer: