This past week, we sang the song Honey in the Rock by Brandon Lake and Brooke Ligertwood. As I was learning my part for this song, I had it on repeat throughout the week. The chorus really started to jump out at me and resonate in my head. The lyrics read:
There’s honey in the rock
Water in the stone
Manna on the ground
No matter where I go
I don’t need to worry
Now that I know
Everything I need You’ve got
There’s honey in the rock
- Honey in the Rock
Those are some unusual situations listed. Honey from a rock? Water in a stone? And what is manna!? This chorus brought me to a few places in the Bible where God’s promise to provide for us is made clear. I would highly recommend checking them out!
“Honey in the Rock” - Psalm 81
“Water in the Stone” - Exodus 17
“Manna on the Ground” - Exodus 16
First, let’s turn to the Old Testament. To set the stage for Exodus 16, the Israelites had been enslaved. God chose Moses to lead them out from under the control of Pharaoh and the Egyptians. Doing so was not to be an easy task. God brought the ten plagues over the land of Egypt. Finally, the Pharaoh ordered Moses and the Israelites out of Egypt. That is when they found themselves wandering in the unforgiving wilderness surrounded by sand and stone and little provisions. It was not an easy journey by any means.
The Israelites started to complain that it would have been better for them to remain in captivity than to wander in the desert and die of starvation! That is where God, once again, stepped in a way that only He could. He provided food for them in the most peculiar way. In the evening, God provided meat, quail to be exact.
“That evening vast numbers of quail flew in and covered the camp.”
Exodus 16:13
But even more, God provided manna each morning to the Israelites. In the morning the ground at the camp was wet with dew,
“When the dew evaporated, a flaky substance as fine as frost blanketed the ground; it was white like coriander seed, and it tasted like honey wafers.”
Exodus 16:14;31
Each family was to gather the manna for their family.
That is where we read:
“So the people of Israel did as they were told. Some gathered a lot, some only a little. But when they measured it out, everyone had just enough. Those who gathered a lot had nothing left over, and those who gathered only a little had enough. Each family had just what it needed.“
Exodus 16:17-18 (underline added)
Each family had just what it needed…let that sink in. If you take into consideration just how many people there were in the wilderness at that time and everyone had just what they needed. Not excess. Not coming up short. But just what was needed. That is a miracle that only God can do!
We come across a similar thread in the New Testament, when Jesus is teaching about how to fast and pray. Many of us have probably heard this familiar section of verses, and might even be able to recite it from memory.
' “This, then, is how you should pray: “ ‘Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us today our daily bread. And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one. ’ '
Matthew 6:9-13
There we see it again. “Give us today our daily bread.” Not more than we need. Not less than we need. But just what is needed for that day, that moment.
That takes some trusting and leaning into God -to allow Him to provide for us…and to trust that what is being given is just what we need. But let us lean into Him and allow him to provide for us. Let Him give us just what is needed, even when it comes from an unusual source or when we least expect it. After all, everything we need, He’s got!
I keep looking, I keep finding
You keep giving, keep providing
I have all that I need
You are all that I need
- Honey in the Rock