Kill us with Hunger

​Exodus 16:2-15
The Hangry Israelites
 
Two months in, the Israelites turn to complaining. They have no idea how long they will be in the wilderness, but just in two months, their daily needs for food and water have caused them to have selective memory about their experience in slavery. Yes, they were oppressed, but at least their bellies were full. They had figured out that if they just do what they’re told to do, then they would survive. The threat of their survival in the wilderness has caused them to second guess their experience in Egypt and their experience of God. Their food crisis has turned into a faith crisis.
 
Because of this crisis, their complaining turns to accusations that Moses and Aaron are trying to “kill them with hunger.” I can’t help but insert an eye roll after reading that verse. Any parent who has experienced an overly dramatic child who is “starving to death” because they haven’t eaten in two hours may pick up on the similar complaint. Why would Moses and Aaron purposely kill them with hunger? Why would they put themselves at risk to deliver their people so they could die of starvation? When basic needs are threatened and the need becomes very real, all logic goes out the window.
 
Moses tells the people that their complaints and accusations are really against God, and we are guilty of that same leap. When we are angry about a tragedy and we don’t know where to put our anger, we will often be angry at God for allowing it to happen. God didn’t wait for Moses to ask for help. God hears the complaints and accusations and immediately responds. God tells Moses, “I am going to rain bread from heaven” (v.4).
 
God didn’t stop there. God also provided meat. Each morning and each evening, God was present in the food that satisfied their hunger. Hunger is a very powerful attribute of the body. It alerts us that we are in need, and if we don’t have the ability to satisfy that hunger, we get hangry fast. Our hunger shows how interconnected we are with the physical, emotional, and spiritual. Our external and internal longings are joined. When one is in need, it will often show up in the other. Our everyday basic needs are also spiritual needs.
 
When we have a physical need for food, we will often have a spiritual one because we feel disconnected from God for allowing us to be hungry. When we have a spiritual hunger, we may try to feed that hunger ourselves by overeating or self-medicating in other ways. Just like with the Israelites, our true hunger is for God.
 
The physical hunger for the Israelites in the wilderness is a very real need, but when they took their eyes off God who could satisfy their hunger, they became angry and accusatory. They had just experienced God in the miraculous act of parting the Red Sea and God delivering them from oppression, so they were used to seeing God in huge, extraordinary ways. They didn’t know that God is also present in the daily, ordinary gifts of food.
 
These ordinary gifts of bread and meat were given to show the Israelites that God is present with them. God is in the daily bread that satisfies their hunger. “Draw near to the Lord,” as Moses said, and receive the gift of bread. When have you experienced God in the bread?
 
Reflection questions:
Have you experienced physical hunger that caused you to be hangry?
Do you have a spiritual hunger? Do you see them connected?
Have you ever had a crisis that turned into a faith crisis? How did you find your way back to God?
What are you hungering for now?
 
Action: Do one thing this week that helps to feed someone who is hungry.