December 29, 2025 

Not long after their freedom from slavery, the Israelites find themselves in the wilderness facing hunger and fear. In Exodus 16:1-12,They question whether freedom was worth the struggle. Instead of rebuke, God responds with daily provision, meeting their needs one day at a time.

Devotional: The wilderness is not where the Israelites expected to be. They had imagined freedom would feel immediate and satisfying. Instead, it felt uncertain and uncomfortable. Hunger set in quickly, and fear followed close behind. The wilderness exposed how fragile their trust still was.

What stands out in this story is not Israel’s faith, but God’s patience. God does not scold them for their fear. God feeds them. Manna appears each morning, enough for that day and no more. God does not allow them to store it up or plan far ahead. Trust must be practiced daily.

Wilderness seasons often look like this. The old life is behind us, but the new one has not yet taken shape. What once sustained us no longer works, and what will sustain us is still unclear. We want long-term answers. God offers daily bread.

God’s presence in the wilderness does not mean life becomes easy. It means we are not abandoned while learning how to depend on Him in new ways. The wilderness becomes a place where trust is formed, not because everything makes sense, but because God shows up again and again.

If you are in a season that feels dry, uncertain, or exhausting, know this: God meets His people in the wilderness. Not all at once. Not with explanations. But faithfully, one day at a time.

Action: Ask God for what you need today, not for the entire future.

Prayer: God who provides, meet me in the in-between places. Teach me to trust You one day at a time. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Thought for the Day: God meets us in the wilderness one faithful day at a time.

The wilderness is rarely where we expect to be. Freedom comes, but comfort does not always follow. Exodus 16 reminds us that God’s people found themselves hungry, afraid, and questioning everything shortly after they were set free. And yet, God did not turn away from their fear. God met them there, providing daily bread and teaching them how to trust one day at a time. This devotional reflects on wilderness seasons, those in-between places where answers are scarce and strength feels limited. Even there, God is present, faithful, and providing what we need for today.

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