I found the culprit. It was a half-empty, 5-pound sack of once wholesome potatoes that were now clearly past their prime. They were not just withered or unintentionally dehydrated; they were now disgustingly disturbing. Rotten, wrinkly potatoes: full of sprouts, sitting in a pool of nasty, brown liquid, and leaving a pungent smell that would make anyone want to run!
Lifting the dripping bag of potatoes, and leaving a trail behind me in the aftermath, I ran toward the garage. It’s not my smartest moment. I could have disposed of it in another bag, but I didn’t take time to think through the process. I was on a mission to get the stinky potatoes out of our home. It’s a smell you never fully forget.
I clearly bought more potatoes than I needed and stored them up for a rainy day. It was wasteful on my part. Has anything like this ever happened to you? If so, you are not alone… we are not alone!
Something similar happened to the Israelites in the Bible. The stench must have been similar. You can learn more about the experience in Exodus 16 as they departed Elim and headed into the Wilderness of Sin. The entire Israelite community moved together and grumbled together.
Exodus 16:9-20 says, “Then Moses said to Aaron, ‘Say to the whole congregation of the people of Israel, “Come near before the Lord, for He has heard your grumbling.’” And as soon as Aaron spoke to the whole congregation of the people of Israel, they looked toward the wilderness, and behold, the glory of the Lord appeared in the cloud. And the Lord said to Moses, ‘I have heard the grumbling of the people of Israel. Say to them, “At twilight you shall eat meat, and in the morning, you shall be filled with bread. Then you shall know that I am the Lord your God.’” In the evening quail came up and covered the camp, and in the morning dew lay around the camp. And when the dew had gone up, there was on the face of the wilderness a fine, flake-like thing, fine as frost on the ground. When the people of Israel saw it, they said to one another, ‘What is it?’ For they did not know what it was. And Moses said to them, ‘It is the bread that the Lord has given you to eat. This is what the Lord has commanded: “Gather of it, each one of you, as much as he can eat. You shall each take an Omer, according to the number of the persons that each of you has in his tent.’” And the people of Israel did so. They gathered, some more, some less. But when they measured it with an Omer, whoever gathered much had nothing left over, and whoever gathered little had no lack. Each of them gathered as much as he could eat. And Moses said to them, ‘Let no one leave any of it over till the morning.’ But they did not listen to Moses. Some left part of it till the morning, and it bred worms and stank. And Moses was angry with them” (ESV).
This manna, or bread wafers that tasted like sweet honey (vs. 31) fed the Israelites for 40 years! How could something so good, quickly turn so foul?
The Israelites sinned. God tested them with specific instructions to see if they would follow Him, and they failed (vs. 4). They did not listen. Their disobedience literally bred worms and stank!
Sin should be repulsive—like the smell of worm-filled manna or rotten, uncared for potatoes. It should get our attention and have us cleaning house immediately! Why would someone want to live with it? Disobedience, not following God’s instruction, and leaving things undealt with breeds decay and requires us to call upon the name of Jesus for restoration. We must surrender to His ways and ask for God’s forgiveness.
It’s interesting, the very manna that man mishandled by disobeying, hoarding, and saving, and the sweet wafer that God used to teach them a lesson for their disobedience by allowing it to breed worms and stink, God later used to preserve to prove His faithfulness for generations.
Read more in Exodus 16:32-34, “Moses said, ‘This is what the Lord has commanded: “Let an Omer of it be kept throughout your generations, so that they may see the bread with which I fed you in the wilderness, when I brought you out of the land of Egypt.’” And Moses said to Aaron, “Take a jar, and put an Omer of manna in it, and place it before the Lord to be kept throughout your generations.” As the Lord commanded Moses, so Aaron placed it before the testimony to be kept,” (ESV).
Knowing this, I believe there are questions we must answer:
- Did God give you special instructions that you are not following?
- Are there lessons you have learned of God’s faithfulness that you need to preserve and share with future generations?
- If so, start today by telling your family and loved ones!
How can you make Monumental Moments and live to multiply His movement today?
