Exodus 16:16-18

Gather of it every man according to his eating.

Spiritual assimilation

Why did each receive but three quarts a day? Might not a nutritious and delicious food like this be stored, and become an article of merchandise and a source of wealth? No, the Edenic law was not merely a penalty, but a method of mercy, of life, and health. It required labour. But there is a profounder reason for the prayer, “Give us this day our daily bread.” We are to get out of to-day all we can, and trust God for to-morrow. We possess only what we can assimilate, so the miracle does no more than provide for one day. You say that you possess property. No; another may more truly possess it. I who tarry by your garden, or the beggar who feasts upon its beauty with appreciating and admiring eyes, gets more out of it than you. You hurry away to business early in the morning, and are gone till dark, too burdened, it may be, to give it a glance. So with your library or pictures. He possesses who assimilates. If your wealth makes you anxious, or leads you to dissipation, then you possess not wealth, but anxiety and disease. You may give your child wealth, but it is better to put moral wealth into mind and heart than to burden down with money, which may sink his soul in ruin. So with books and associates. We grow by what we eat. What does that child read? Who are his friends? We really eat both. Christ used this figure, and said we were to eat His flesh and drink His blood. This means the assimilation of spiritual forces, the incorporation of His life and character as we grow to be like those we make our bosom friends. Our character is warped, shrivelled, and weakened, or it is enriched and ennobled by those with whom we habitually and intimately live, as they are mean and wicked, or pure and princely. (E. Braislin, D. D.)

Lessons

We are hereby taught--

1. Prudence and diligence in providing food convenient for ourselves and our households; what God graciously gives we must industriously gather, with quietness working, and eating our own bread, not the bread either of idleness or deceit. God’s bounty leaves room for man’s duty.

2. Contentment and satisfaction with a sufficiency; they must gather, “every man according to his eating”; enough is as good as a feast, and more than enough is as bad as a surfeit. They that have most have for themselves but food and raiment and mirth; and they that have least generally have these; so that “he who gathers much,” etc. There is not so great a disproportion between one and another, in the comforts and enjoyments of the things of this life, as there is in the property and possession of the things themselves.

3. Dependence upon Providence. “Let no man leave till morning” (Exodus 16:19), but let them learn to go to bed and sleep quietly, though they have not a bit of bread in their tent, nor in all their camp, trusting that God, with the following day, will bring them their daily bread. It was surer and safer in God’s storehouse than in their own, and would thence come to them sweeter and fresher. (M. Henry, D. D.)

Nothing over

It is said that when J. C. Astor was once congratulated by a certain person for his wealth, he replied by pointing to his pile of bonds and maps of property, at the same time inquiring, “Would you like to manage these matters for your board and clothes?” The man demurred. “Sir,” continued the rich man, “it is all that I get.” (J. Denton.)

Self-help enforced

A young man stood listlessly watching some anglers on a bridge. He was poor and dejected. At last, approaching a basket filled with fish he sighed, “If now I had these I would be happy. I could sell them and buy food and lodgings.” “I will give you just as many, and just as good,” said the owner, who chanced to overhear his words, “if you will do me a trifling favour.” “And what is that?” asked the other. “Only to tend this line till I come back; I wish to go on a short errand.” The proposal was gladly accepted. The old man was gone so long that the young man began to get impatient. Meanwhile the fish snapped greedily at the hook, and the young man lost all his depression in the excitement of pulling them in; and when the owner returned he had caught a large number. Counting out from them as many as were in the basket, and presenting them to the young man, the old fisherman said, “I fulfil my promise from the fish you have caught, to teach you, whenever you see others earning what you need, to waste no time in foolish wishing, but cast a line for yourself.” (W. Baxendale.)

No position has a surplus of happiness

When Napoleon returned to his palace, immediately after his defeat at Waterloo, he continued many hours without taking any refreshment. One of the grooms of the chamber ventured to serve up some coffee, in his cabinet, by the hands of a child whom Napoleon had occasionally distinguished by his notice. The Emperor sat motionless, with his hands spread over his eyes. The page stood patiently before him, gazing with infantine curiosity on an image which presented so strong a contrast to his own figure of simplicity and peace; at last the little attendant presented his tray, exclaiming, in the familiarity of am age which knows so little distinctions: “Eat, sire; it will do you good.” The emperor looked at; him, and asked: “Do you not belong to Gonesse?” (a village near Paris). “No, sire; I come from Pierrefite.” “Where your parents have a cottage and some acres of land? Yes, sire.” “There is happiness,” replied the man who was still the Emperor of France and King of Italy. (J. Arvine.)

No satisfaction in mere accumulation

“I once had occasion to speak of a certain charity to a prosperous mechanic. He seemed not much inclined to help it, but after listening to my representations awhile, he suddenly gave way and promised a handsome subscription. In due time he paid it cheerfully, and said, “Do you know what carried the point with me that day when you made the application?” “No,” I replied. “Well, I’ll tell you. I was not so much moved by anything you said till you came to mention the fact about the Israelites, ‘He that gathered much had nothing over, and he that gathered little had no lack.’ Thinks I, that is just my own history. Once I was a poor, hard-working young man; now I’ve got a good deal of property, but as for real comfort and use, I get no more out of it now than I did then. Now, when I gather much, I’ve nothing over, and then, when I gathered little, I had no lack.” (Family Treasury.)