What is it?

Mrs. Moses Diary

“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.” Exodus 16:14-15 (NIV)

by Bonnie Beardsley

Dear Diary,

Just over two months have passed since we crossed the Red Sea and God changed the bitter water, and the people are back to complaining—this time about no meat. Some wanted to go back to Egypt because they had food there to eat.

God heard their complaining. He filled Moses in on the plan. That night He would send quail to eat. In the morning there would be flake-like frost on the ground. They were to gather nine pounds of the flakes for every person in the family each day. They were not save any for the next day. Only on the morning before the Sabbath were they to gather enough for two days because there wouldn’t be any on the Sabbath.

The next morning when everyone came out of their tents, they looked at the ground and asked, “What is it?” That is why it is called manna. Even though everyone heard Moses say not to save some over for the next day except on the sabbath, some people had to learn the hard way. When they opened the jar storing the manna from the day before, it was spoiled and covered with maggots.

We got creative in cooking it and swapped recipes like: Manna Bread, Manna Burgers, Manna Stew, and Manna Cake.

About Bonnie Beardsley

Bonnie Beardsley is a wife and mother of two boys. Her boys are grown and live on their own, but their dogs are still with her. Before the boys were born she wrote puppet skits for her church’s kids’ church. She is in the middle of writing her first book. Visit her at bonniesuewrites.weebly.com.