Pastoral Letter 183
Dear Members of St. Andrew’s Uniting Church, Friends and Adherents,
Grace and Peace to you all in the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit.
After our successful and great day of Worship and Praise celebrating the church Anniversaries which we had on September 10, I write this week’s pastoral letter once again with a very heavy heart and broken spirit reflecting on what is happening to my beloved Artsakh. I had a similar experience in October 2020, when I wrote my 31st Pastoral Letter sadly informing about the break of war in Artsakh. And now after ten months of blockade and starving Artsakh, last Tuesday Azerbaijan launched a full-scale military assault using artillery and drones on the peaceful population of Artsakh, sowing death and destruction in the attempt of ethnic cleansing of the thousands of years old indigenous population. Armenians from tens of villages have been evacuated and brought to the capital Stepanakert and put in shelters with no food to eat and electricity, not knowing what to do or where to go. Their only option is to cross over to Armenia if they are allowed a safe passage. Already hundreds have been killed, thousand injured and many are missing. These are helpless men and women elderly and young including children. Though there was agreed ceasefire, followed by a meeting between representatives of Artsakh and Azerbaijan, unfortunately, the situation hasn’t changed much, and a great danger of extinction is looming over the heads of the people of Artsakh. It is no more an existential threat shadowing the sovereign state of Artsakh, but systematic act of ethnic cleansing and genocide against the people of Artsakh. I have been in regular contact with our friends in Armenia and Artsakh getting updates about the situation. It is not looking good and there is the possibility of losing everything.
So, please pray for Artsakh and the suffering people. They need our prayers and support more than ever.
In couple of weeks, I will be again on leave for two weeks to attend the Armenian Missionary Association’s annual meeting in San Fransisco. In my absence Liam will take the service on Sunday 15 October and Bob Minton on October 22. I express my thanks in advance to Liam and Bob.
If you are not able to join us tomorrow, please light a candle and join us following the attached Order of Service.
Be safe and well, continue to pray, remembering those who need care, support and love; especially those who are suffering because of natural disasters, such as the recent floods in Libya and the people of Artsakh.
Please let me know if you or anyone else has prayer points.
Here are some prayer points for this week:
- Pray for Artsakh and the suffering and the displaced people.
- Pray for the poor, the sick, the struggling and the stressed.
- Pray for those who are facing natural disasters such as Earthquakes and floods.
- Pray for the Referendum to be held on 14 October and to cast the right vote.
- Pray for our church and our future plans as we seek God’s guidance.
Best Regards
Krikor
MESSAGE
The Miracle of Manna
Exodus 16:1-16
We love to eat, and we need to eat to live and sustain life. We, as humans from the day we are born, need to eat to survive. As babies, we eat milk and baby food and as we mature, we eat different kinds of foods. Some of us are vegetarians, vegans, meat lovers, gluten or lactose free, etc. Some foods we love, some not. But we eat what we can and what is healthy and what satisfies our taste buds. In other words, we eat to live, and not we live to eat. But sometimes parents make their children to eat soap or chili, as some Armenian parents do, because they want to teach them a lesson about using filthy language.
In the book of Revelation chapter 10, we read that God once made John eat a scroll, to teach him a different lesson. John said, I went to the angel and asked him to give me the little scroll. He said to me, “Take it and eat it. It will turn your stomach sour, but in your mouth, it will be as sweet as honey.” . . . Then I was told, “You must prophesy again about many peoples, nations, languages and kings.” Whereas at first it tasted sweet to hear God’s Word, but when He realised what God’s Word would do – and the response he would get from it – it turned sour in his stomach.
This wasn’t the first time that God used eating to teach a lesson. In the beginning when God created the world and Adam and Eve, He used the fruit of the Tree of Knowledge to teach them obedience and honour. So, when we come across the story of the manna and quail in Exodus, we should be aware that there is more to this story. When the Israelites asked, “What is it”, there’s a lesson behind it. God answered that question with an answer that will hopefully give us a different view of life.
Manna – What Is It?
Here are three things that we can say about Manna, the kind of bread that God gave to the people of Israel in the wilderness.
1. It is for nourishment
Last Sunday we talked about the crossing of the Red Sea. Now, the Israelites may have thought after that wonderful delivery, everything was going to be handed to them on a golden platter. But they were soon to discover that such was not the case. After being delivered some water at Marah and getting to live at an oasis, they soon found themselves craving for food. So, they grumbled to Moses again. Moses prayed to the Lord, and the Lord delivered a new food that had never been seen before. In the morning there was a layer of dew around the camp. When the dew was gone, thin flakes like frost on the ground appeared on the desert floor. When the Israelites saw it, they said to each other, “What is it?” For they did not know what it was. (Ex 16:13-15) It was white like coriander seed and tasted like wafers made with honey. (Exodus 16:31) Whereas the Israelites didn’t know exactly what it was and tasted like. Ultimately, it didn’t matter what it was, as long as it did the job.
God told the Israelites: ‘Each one is to gather as much as he needs. Take an omer for each person you have in your tent.’” The Israelites did as they were told; some gathered much, some little. And when they measured it by the omer, he who gathered much did not have too much, and he who gathered little did not have too little. Each one gathered as much as he needed. (Ex 16:16-18) So, for 40 years, day by day, God provided the Israelites with a morning meal that lasted every day. It was enough to sustain two million people for 40 years – and that’s what it was for.
When Jesus taught us to pray the Lord’s Prayer, He didn’t say to us ask for a year’s supply of meat, potatoes and fish, or even a winter’s worth of wheat. All He said we should pray and say: “Give us this day our daily bread.” There’s nothing fancy about bread. Like manna, it’s white and kind of tasteless, but it is very resourceful, and it feeds us. That’s the main point Jesus was getting at. By telling us to pray for daily bread, He was saying to us, “just pray for enough to get by.”
Yet, as humans we have a hard time doing this. We say, “give us this day our daily bread,” but in reality, we ask for more and different varieties.
2. It is a test
After the Israelites complained, God gave them their daily bread. But He didn’t just give it to them to feed them. God told Moses; I will rain down bread from heaven for you. The people are to go out each day and gather enough for that day. In this way I will test them and see whether they will follow my instructions and commandments. God provided this food as a test – to see how they would react. God doesn’t only test us in seeing how we handle hardship, but He also tests us in seeing how we handle blessings and success.
With this food, God didn’t just tell them to eat it when and where they wanted. He gave special instructions. Here’s what they were – “Take an omer for each person you have in your tent. No one is to keep any of it until morning.” On the sixth day they are to prepare what they bring in, and that is to be twice as much as they gather on the other days.
There were basically two tests involved in these instructions.
The first test from God was to only gather enough only for one day. Every day, when the Israelite went to bed, he would have nothing in his tent to eat. The test comes in how to respond to this imposed lifestyle. Would we complain under such circumstances, worry and constantly wish that they lived back in Egypt, with plenty of food to eat?
The second test came at the end of every week. On Friday, the Israelites had to work twice as hard to collect two days’ worth of manna. Then, on the Sabbath God told the Israelites that they were to collect nothing. That way they could just rest and worship their Lord on Saturday. The test for the Israelites was on whether they would take time out from their collecting and just enjoy a day off to worship the Lord.
Unfortunately, the Israelites failed miserably in both tests. In regard to the “one day’s worth” rule, instead of honouring the Word of the Lord, in greed and a lack of trust they tried to keep a part of it until morning.
One temptation of life is to try and preserve what is given to us, when God tells us to just use it today. The test then also comes in how we respond.
3. It is a testimony
If this is a lesson that God was teaching to the people. We know that it is frustrating for a teacher when students don’t pay attention to instructions and do not apply what they know. It wasn’t that the Israelites didn’t have the blessings – God had given them plenty – they knew better. But they just didn’t listen to God when it came to using them. So how would God respond?
First of all, God didn’t want to be ignored. When they kept part of the manna until morning, it was full of maggots and began to smell. And when some of the people went out on the seventh day to gather manna, they found none. Moses was angry with the people, and God didn’t bless their greed. But secondly, He simply and calmly said to Moses: “How long will you refuse to keep my commands and my instructions? Bear in mind that the Lord has given you the Sabbath; that is why on the sixth day he gives you bread for two days. Everyone is to stay where he is on the seventh day; no one is to go out.” (Ex 16:28-30) Instead of getting angry, God simply re-instructed them. Finally, then the people rested on the seventh day.
Even though the Israelites kept on abusing God’s gifts and trying to do things that weren’t permitted, God taught them a lesson, but kept feeding them anyway. Why? God told Moses: ‘Take an omer of manna and keep it for the generations to come, so they can see the bread I gave you to eat in the desert when I brought you out of Egypt.’ (Ex 16:32) He kept on giving them manna – as a testimony to who He was and is. He is the Lord – the compassionate and gracious God – slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness. He is the Lord who faithfully provides for His people, even when they don’t deserve it.
This same Lord faithfully provided us with a much greater Manna around 1500 years later – in the person of Jesus Christ. Even though the Israelites continually rejected the Lord to worship other gods, He kept His promise. Even though He knew the world would put His Son to death, He sent Him anyway. Why? Because God said that Jesus would be he pierced for our transgressions, crushed for our iniquities. God knew that by His wounds we would be healed. (Is 53:5-6) In the midst of Jesus’ enemies, God was preparing a wonderful table of forgiveness for us. So, Jesus declared: “I am the bread of life. He who comes to me will never go hungry, and he who believes in me will never be thirsty.” (Jn 6:35-36) This is not an unknown bread that nourishes us. It is revealed as Jesus Christ in the flesh – came to live and die for us – that is what we eat and live on eternally. It nourishes our souls.
In 2 Timothy 2 Paul reminded Timothy and us about the Lord when he said, if we are faithless, He will remain faithful, for He cannot disown Himself (2 Ti 2:13). The most impressive thing about this story of the manna and quail is the faithfulness of the Lord and not the mere feeding of the two million Israelites for 40 years in a desert. History proves to us that God can’t disown Himself. He’s a patient, loving, and forgiving God. Even when we complain, He still feeds us. Even when we misuse His gifts, He still gives them. Not because we deserve it! But because our God is a gracious God. He likes people not just physical things – but more importantly forgiveness, holiness, and eternal salvation. That was the ultimate purpose behind the manna – to testify to the faithfulness of the Lord. That’s what impresses us so much about the manna. It makes us thankful for having such a forgiving and faithful Lord.
God, in His mercy, forever forgives, forever gives, and forever keeps faithful to His promise to save sinners. The story of the manna proves this truth. It gives us comfort in knowing what it is all about. Manna isn’t just about nourishment. It’s about how faithful our Lord is – how He constantly gives us the bread of Life – in spite of how many times we fail the tests. That’s where the true miracle of the manna is – and that’s where the lesson is found.
Amen!