DAY 29 – THE SECRET MANNA GATHERING
One of the primary functions of the secret place is to be fed afresh each day in His word. It’s our hunger for the word that drives us into the secret place. A lack of hunger is a danger sign. Spiritual hunger is absolutely essential to spiritual health because without it, we won’t be motivated to feed on the manna of God’s word. It’s important that we learn how to collect manna by ourselves because God never intended us to live off the secret life of our pastor. He wants us to uncover the life giving thrill of feeding ourselves daily in His word.
Once, you learn to feed yourself in the word, you are no longer dependent on others to give you milk because now you’re cutting off your own meat. It is not that difficult to learn how to gather manna. Pick up your Bible and begin to labor in it. You might feel clumsy at first, but keep persevering. The more you labor in the word, the more adept you will become at gathering the daily portion that will satisfy your soul. As you persevere, you will discover that the Lord designed the secret place to satisfy your heart In at least three ways:
(1) Feeding in the word: As we meditate and feed in the word of God, we are like trees that produce fruit because we have nutrients flowing in us.
(2) Drinking in the Spirit: The Holy spirit is like water that helps us swallow the manna of the word. Feeding in the word must always be complemented with drinking of the spirit.
(3) Cultivating a knowing relationship with God: God wants to lead you into a hidden place in Him where you develop your own unique connection with Him. He wants you to develop your own secret history of communing with Him and knowing Him. The Holy Spirit will be your teacher in teaching you how to find this knowing relationship with God and all you must do is shut your door.
Sunday morning gathering is a place where God is glorified and ministered to, a place where we can encourage and support others, a place where unity is built, a place where seekers can come to Christ. It is when you learn to feed yourself in the word, when you learn to drink in the spirit and cultivate a knowing relationship with God that the Sunday morning gatherings can fulfill their proper role in our lives and we won’t be upset when the sunday sermon doesn’t apply to our lives.
Learn to gather your own manna. Then you’ll have something to share
