“ But now our strength is dried up, and there is nothing at all but this manna to look at.”  Numbers 11:6

Ever since I was a little girl and first heard about manna, I related this heavenly food to snow.  Being born in the Midwest, snow has always been in abundance and it often came pouring generously from heaven.  I still live in the Midwest. Don’t ask me why.  Maybe it’s the bounty of snow we have each year.  It might be the glorious change of seasons, which include winter and road construction.  It could be that I like to complain about the weather or that I’m just set in my ways and change at my age could prove fatal.

Anyway, here we are again.  Schools are closed –  again.  The usually efficient snow removal trucks haven’t been able to keep up with the accumulation.   We still can’t get our trash cans out to the curb, because they’re firmly frozen into the ground and I don’t plan on seeing my car until June.  So why on earth would I compare snow to manna?

I’m not trying to be flippant about this. I certainly believe God provided manna to the children of Israel and it didn’t take them long to get sick of it. I’m merely trying to draw a comparison.  God provides for all our needs, even when it looks like we’re not going to make it from paycheck to paycheck – even when we’re faced with illness or death – or we wonder how we’ll support another child.  His provision is always there.

There are days when I don’t always believe that.  I worry.  I fret.  I try to figure things out for myself. I forget that this has happened before and God never let me down.  He always provided a way out of every difficult situation.  He helped me to learn from foolish choices.  He led me on the road to salvation through His Holy Word.  You’d think an old lady like me would keep that in mind when the snow falls.  It’s like manna coming to nurture the earth and make it rich for planting in the spring –  to give refreshment to the wildlife, the birds and other creatures of nature – to create a soft bed for a stray cat – to create cover for an animal which has no place to hide.

We become so focused on the routine things that we rarely see the beauty in them.  This storm is expected to drop another 6 six inches by the time it’s over.  We anticipate another storm on Friday and a few smaller snow events next week.  We get tired of shoveling it, removing it from our cars and the roofs of our houses.  We try hard to think of the positive, but have a hard time finding it.  We look for the easy way out, by closing schools or working from home. We think we deserve better.  We’re entitled to more.  We try to manage what only God can do.

We’re not much different than those Israelites.  We can’t see the forest for the trees.  What is meant for our benefit is often overlooked.  We have trouble giving thanks for things that are keeping life alive.  We forget that God is in control of everything – including the weather.

So, get out the shovel or snow blower.  Dig your way out.  Be joyful that God has again provided manna from heaven.