During her dessert wanderings, Israel was frequently unbelieving and disobedient. Had I been one of those Israelites, after the umpteenth time of relating to God in this way, the coming dawn of another day would have been greeted with a great deal of anxiety: would there be Manna yet again? I’d have been brought up short by the consideration that I was completely dependent for food on this God with whom I’d blown it again (by definition, desserts are barren); Whom I continued to grieve and vex. I’d have been afraid to open my tent flap for fear that His patience had come to an end and with it His gracious provision.
Have you ever been there: guilty for the umpteenth time and wondering if God’s patience with you was over on that account? This ancient history is intended to comfort and encourage us. Our Father’s covenant constancy is also intended to lead us to repentance. Will you call upon Him for grace to repent again? Will you ask Him to forgive you again? He who commands us to forgive our brothers 490 times a day for the same offence (this amounts to once every couple minutes assuming you’re up for 16 hours) will forgive us as well. May this thought not only bring us assurance of His love and comfort in our security with Him in Christ but also strengthen our arms to war against our sins!