Worship Wednesdays - The Story Behind "Living Manna"

In the months that followed our car accident, we were riddled with ongoing concerns - some physical, some financial, and all emotional. We had already left Nashville, and were hunkered down in my parents' home for a few months to heal and regain our footing. I found myself sitting up very late one night, consumed by my worries. As I sat in the quiet of the living room, I needed to be reminded of God's daily presence in our lives.

I thought about the story of the manna in the Old Testament. God only provided enough sustenance for the day, not simply to provide the necessary nourishment, but to teach the people that He would show up tomorrow. God could be trusted to provide for us today, tomorrow, and every day.

The word "manna" drifted around in my brain, and paired with the words from the Lord's prayer, "Give us this day our daily bread."

As a lover of Easter, I believe strongly in the Living God, so suddenly, the words started to form a pattern:

Living manna, living bread...

A verse formed...

The second verse wanted to follow the same pattern, and 'water' and 'blood' seemed to be the natural progression. A recent conversation about the need for the Trinity in worship songs came to mind, and the third verse found its theme. As the night drifted on, the lyric took shape...

As I wrote the words, a lilting melody came to mind. In the early hours of the morning, I finished Living Manna.

I kept it to myself for several weeks. "Just a little song for me," I thought. A trusted friend and worship leader came to visit, and we started sharing songs. She asked if I'd been writing, and I sheepishly pulled out my new lyric and melody. As I sang, she started to play on the piano. We sang Living Manna over and over and over.

I finally shared the song with Gerald, who wrote a beautiful guitar arrangement. We sang it in concerts and during worship, especially during Communion services. Eventually, Living Manna earned a spot on our debut Infinitely More recording.

Today, we share Living Manna everywhere we go, reminding each of us that we have a God who feeds us, who cleanses us, and who is complete.

I recently asked my Dad to take photos 

inspired by the words in the song. 

Here's the brand new lyric video for Living Manna:

We're spending the winter as Musicians in Residence at All Saints Church in beautiful St. Andrews By-The-Sea, New Brunswick. 

Follow our adventures at www.Facebook.com/InfinitelyMoreBand 

Worship Wednesdays is a weekly series to encourage and equip worship leaders and songwriters. Bookmark this page & visit us every Wednesday!