Something dramatic happened in Joshua 5:12. The Israelites changed their diet. The Manna stopped and they “ate the fruit of the land of Canaan.”
With the Manna ceasing, things would never be the same again. God continues to provide for his children, but now he provides through natural means. They must learn to feed themselves. They must plant and irrigate and grow and harvest. In other words, it’s time for them to grow up.
I’m sure the Israelites would miss the provision of the Manna and I expect that many were disappointed. Now they would have to work for their daily bread. But just think of the glorious differences between the manna and the crops of Canaan.
In his book “Don’t Park Here”, C. William Fisher tells about driving in his car with his 4-year-old son at his side. “Byron, what do you want to be when you grow up to be a man?” he asked. The youngster replied, “I don’t want to grow up to be a man.” Surprised, his father asked, “Why not?” Byron replied, “Because then I couldn’t ride my tricycle!”
Fisher wrote, “As I drove on, I thought, ‘I’m sure I enjoyed by tricycle when I was 4, but I’m also sure that I enjoy much more the power and performance of my Olds today.’“
Someone once said, “You’re never too old to grow up.”