Modern-Day Manna

When I first came to America years ago, I did not have a full-time job yet. Still, I kept our family of two going by cleaning houses daily while awaiting the bureaucratic process of approving our green cards. One Sunday morning, as we walked into the church, friendly faces greeted us, and the greeters at the door gave my daughter and me what appeared to be something akin to a raffle ticket. Questioningly, we walked to our seats and tried to acquire some more information from those around us seated in our section, but to no avail. Everyone was just as curious as we were.

During our Sunday church service, the customary order of events always includes a segment for collecting tithes and offerings. This typically follows the uplifting praise and worship session but precedes the sermon’s delivery. On this particular Sunday, as the congregation gathered, the pastor approached the pulpit with a determined expression. “Today, we will be breaking from our usual order,” he announced. With sincerity in his voice, he expressed a deep desire to provide immediate assistance to someone in need. He suggested the idea of an additional offering. Recognizing the unconventional nature of his proposal, he encouraged those who could consider contributing an extra dollar or two to the offering plate.

Now, we had already given our tithes, and I felt so strongly that I needed to give something extra, but as I looked in my wallet, all I had was a $5 bill. Immediately, I started having a conversation with the Lord. Father, I only have $5, and I still wanted to get some bread for sandwiches that we could eat today and in the foreseeable future. Lord, I can stretch this $5 at the Dollar store and get plenty for little. Lord, you know I have no other money coming this week. Lord, I don’t know when I will have another cleaning job. Lord, this is all I have.

I heard the Holy Spirit whisper in my ear, “Trust Me.” Still, I hesitantly walked to the front of the church and placed all I had in the offering plate. As I walked back to my seat, I found myself in a complete state of panic because I had no food in my house, just enough gas to make it back home. I knew my daughter would ask me what was for lunch as soon as we walked out the door. I couldn’t think of what I would tell her at that moment.

I have to be honest. Throughout the rest of the service, I was preoccupied with what I thought would be a disaster. I kept thinking of ways to improve the outcome of my decision to be obedient to the prompting of the Holy Spirit. How funny is that, really? I have decided to be obedient, and now I am sitting and thinking of ways to make my decision more acceptable.

Then, all of a sudden, a pizza delivery guy walks in at the back of the church with an extra, extra large boxed pizza in his hand. He seemed a little bewildered because instead of just delivering the pizza to the first person he saw, he was actually told to take the pizza to the front of the church, where the entire congregation’s eyes were following his every move. When he reaches the front, the pastor invites him up on the stage and tells him. As a church, we wanted to bless you today and took up an extra offering for you. We don’t know your name, who you are, or any of your circumstances, but we want to bless you regardless of that. Here is an envelope with a little something extra for you to use any way you might need to. The man burst into tears right there on the spot. He explained that he took an extra shift today because he had been caring for his elderly mama. Her medication had run out a day or two before, and he was working extra hours to see if he could make enough money to get her prescription refilled. Miraculously, the amount in the envelope was precisely the amount he needed to get the meds.

I stood there with my mouth agape and tears streaming down my face. I was so happy for this man and that God had reached down into his situation and answered what he might have thought was an unheard prayer, and the best part of it all was that God counted me as worthy enough to be a part of the miracle He was performing in this man’s life! Then I realized that if I was unwilling to put my $5 into the collection plate, this miracle would have still been a miracle. However, it would have been slightly less significant because it would not have been the exact amount he needed; he would have been $5 short.

I realized how important we all are to God’s design and His plan to help those in need. When we fail to be obedient and step out in faith, we miss out on the opportunity to bless others and be a part of God’s intricate plan.

After the pizza guy left, the pastor pulled out a bucket and started pulling out a ticket. You will not believe it! The first ticket didn’t belong to anyone, or they had left early. But the second ticket was mine!! Oh, only ugly crying came from me then, and my daughter ran up the stage to get the prize, which was…you guessed it…the pizza! God gave me modern-day mana right there in church and only asked for my obedience in return.

While bawling my eyes out, one of the ladies in our row came up to me and asked why I was having such a strong reaction to what was going on. I briefly explained how I gave my last $5, which was meant for food, and here, God gave me exactly what we needed for that day. I explained how I struggled to let it go and how God showed me that when I walked in obedience to what He asked, He would provide for my every need. She hugged me, and I could see the tears forming in her eyes, too.

After all the excitement, the service ended, and we gathered our Bibles and pizza and slowly started making our way to the door. As we greeted our fellow congregants and inched closer to the door, the lady from before made her way to me, and when she shook my hand, I felt that she had placed something in it. I protested immediately and explained that I did not tell her my story because I wanted anything from her. Still, I just wanted to share my testimony with her, what I had learned from God on that day, and learning how to walk in obedience. She smiled and said, then let me learn the same lesson and be obedient to God as well.

I didn’t look at what she had given me, but when I climbed into the car, I slowly opened my hand, and she had given me $500. “God is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to His power that is at work within us, to Him be the glory in the church and in Christ Jesus…” Ephesians 3:20–21.

That day, I learned my responsibility is not to question why or how. When God asks us to do something for Him, my job is to trust that He knows what He is doing and that He can do immeasurably more than I can ever imagine.