THE K I N G ' S B U S I N E S S well as the highest, the smallest as well as the tallest. In the same way, the “ bread of life” is w ithin th e reach of “whosoever w ill.” While the depths of the Gospel have never been sounded, its heights never scaled, and its bread th never measured by th e m ightiest hum an in tel lect, it is a t the same tim e so simple th a t th e little child can make it his own. Nor has th ere been found any race of people in the hum an fam ily so low down as n'ot to be able to accept God’s g reat gift. Even th e T ierra del Fuegians, whom Mr. Darwin when he saw them first, declared were the miss ing link, were to his surprise, evangel ized, and so strik in g w a s.th e power of the Gospel in th e ir case, th a t th e great scientist became an annual contributor to the m issionary society. VI. The Daily P rovision fo r Daily Need. The manna could only be gathered for one day a t a time, w ith th e excep tion of the sixth day, when God pro vided for th e gathering of a double sup ply, th a t th e re m ight not be even this semblance of work done on th e Sab bath day. No man could g ath er more th a n the day’s supply, in order to hoard it up. The unnecessary portion, if he attem p ted to do so, became unfit for use. “ Give us th is day our daily b read ” was a very real th ing to th e Israelites. The believer must needs feed on the “ tru e b read ” day by day. He cannot lay up supplies for days or weeks or months ahead. Every day th e Lord has a new supply. VII. Must be G athered and Used as D irected by God. God provided th e manna and placed it w ithin every m an’s reach, b u t he did not p u t it into men’s mouths. If a man enjoyed it, he had to g ath er it. In like manner, th e bread of life is provided for us in th e world, b u t each man, for himself, m ust g ath er it, as-
137 sim ilate it, benefit by it, by devout reading, qu iet meditation, earnest pray ing, and Godly living. The Isra e lite s' had to gath er the manna before th e sun was up.. In the m argin of Mr. Moody’s Bible, he had th is note opposite th is passage,— “The daybreak blessing is the day long gain.” The believer who faith fu lly observes the morning watch, knows by experi ence th a t no other tim e of th e day is qu ite so good. Are you gathering manna from th e Word daily, and in the morning? How soon we forget th e dangers past and th e deliverances we experience a t God’s good hand! ..Israel’s h isto ry is a wonderful illu stration of the weakness and fra ilty of poor HEART OP hum an natu re. In THE DESSON th e ir experience, as in T. O. H orton a glass, is m irrored the experience of many Israel has forgotten the blood of the Passover lamb; th e deliv erance a t the Red Sea; th e b itter w aters of Marah and the wells of Elim . How could they, and how can we? Memory is such a poor com rade when trials come. Israel is hung ry and th e re is no bread. Memory lingers w ith the flesh pots and the fu ll stomach. Where is th e p illar of fire and cloud? W here is th e magic rod of Moses? Where is Jehovah of whom they sang so joy ously? Do you blame them ? R a th e r pity them and yourselves. They forgot the lash of th e slave-driver and th e bricks w ithou t straw . W here is Jehovah? Is He playing w ith Israel? Did He bring them out to die? Such is unbe lief in th e h earts of God’s children. They can believe th a t God loved them and gave H is Son to die for them ; they can believe th a t Jesus rose from th e dead; b u t when tria ls come; when hunger w ith its shrunken, wan face looks upon them , they can doubt God believers.
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