“Then the cloud covered the tent of meeting, and the glory of the Lord filled the tabernacle.”Did you know that when Moses led the Israelite's out of Egypt God’s presence was with them?  When they were wondering in the desert God’s presence was with them.  He was leading them.  We use that expression a lot. God is leading you to where you want to go and this is true.  The Holy Spirit within you is guiding you.  This is not what I am talking about though.  They could actually see God’s presence guiding them.  It describes this in Exodus 13:21-22 “By day the Lord went ahead of them in a pillar of cloud to guide them on their way and by night in a pillar of fire to give them light, so that they could travel by day or night.  Neither the pillar of cloud by day nor the pillar of fire by night left its place in front of the people.Can you imagine this?  I often have prayed things like, “God, please let me know if I am going in the right direction.”  Also, “God, please let me know what your will is.”  The Israelites didn’t have to ask this question.  They had God right there in their midst guiding them.  I wonder what that was like for them?  I wonder if they were just walking around in awe the whole time?  If you read the book of Exodus you will see that doesn’t appear to be the case.  Even with God’s presence right there in the camp with them, they tended to veer off course.  They tended to forget what Moses told them and do things that God told them not to do.  I often wonder how someone could witness the miracles of God every day and then still not live by His laws.  I often think that if I was around in Jesus’ time that I would definitely have been a follower of Jesus.  I would have been such a good Christian because I would want to please the Lord and follow the rules.  I am very much a rule follower.  However, then I wonder, the Jews that were persecuting Jesus, they felt they were following the rules.  They were confused because they lived by a very strict set of rules and now Jesus is coming and breaking a lot of those rules.  He is saying things that they just can’t wrap their head around.  I am not condoning what they did and how they did it.  I am just saying that it is easy for us to judge what happened thousands of years ago with all the knowledge and hindsight passed on to us from those that lived before us.I struggle to understand how the Israelite's could live with all those miracles they witnessed and yet then still worship other God’s and do things that go against what God teaches.  It makes no sense to me.  I feel like if I witnessed the parting of the Red Sea, I would never doubt again.  Did you know that God produced mana every day for them to eat.  Each day they went to bed without food and each day they woke up with exactly enough mana, which is like a sweet bread type substance, for that day.  They literally witnessed a miracle every day and yet they got tired of it because it was the same thing every day.  It just boggles my mind.When I start to think like this the Holy Spirit reminds me not to judge.  He reminds me that I have witnessed plenty of miracles and yet I am not perfect.  Maybe nothing like the parting of the Red Sea, but I was one of 11 children growing up.  My dad had a good job, and yet there was never really enough money to go around because of the sheer number of mouths to feed and the size house we lived in.  Yet, we never went without.  Anytime my parents thought we may have to go without something, God always came through and provided it.  I remember my mom making us tuna melts when we were younger.  She would use 2 cans of tuna and feed how ever many of us were home that day.  I have tried this at my house, and 2 cans of tuna is enough for Tony and I and that is about it.  However, at my house growing up it seemed like no matter how much food my mom cooked, it was the perfect amount.  We never ran out.  It reminds me of the story of Elijah and the Widow in 1 Kings 17:7-16.  “Some time later the brook dried up because there had been no rain in the land.  Then the word of the Lord came to him:  “Go at once to Zarephath in the region of Sidon and stay there. I have directed a widow there to supply you with food.” So he went to Zarephath. When he came to the town gate, a widow was there gathering sticks. He called to her and asked, “Would you bring me a little water in a jar so I may have a drink?” As she was going to get it, he called, “And bring me, please, a piece of bread.” “As surely as the Lord your God lives,” she replied, “I don’t have any bread—only a handful of flour in a jar and a little olive oil in a jug. I am gathering a few sticks to take home and make a meal for myself and my son, that we may eat it—and die.”  Elijah said to her, “Don’t be afraid. Go home and do as you have said. But first make a small loaf of bread for me from what you have and bring it to me, and then make something for yourself and your son.  For this is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says: ‘The jar of flour will not be used up and the jug of oil will not run dry until the day the Lord sends rain on the land.’” She went away and did as Elijah had told her. So there was food every day for Elijah and for the woman and her family.  For the jar of flour was not used up and the jug of oil did not run dry, in keeping with the word of the Lord spoken by Elijah.”I was young when my mom was making those sandwiches, and when the food never seemed to run out and I did not think of it as a miracle.  Looking back now though, I can see it was.  There was another time when my dad’s car broke down on his way to work one day.  He was worried because we lived about 20 minutes away from where he worked and we needed that income to survive.  He had no idea what he was going to do. He decided to not tell my mom until after dinner as we usually eat right at 4:45 when he got home.  During dinner the next door neighbor came over and rang the doorbell.  My dad knew this neighbor, but they weren’t really friends.  They had gotten into an argument before over something to do with the kids in the neighborhood.  Anyway, when my dad answered the door he handed my dad car keys.  My dad was stunned.  He asked what this was for.  The guy asked my dad if he needed a car.  My dad said he did, but asked the guy how he knew, since my dad had not even told my mom about his car yet.  The guy said he wasn't sure.  He just had a feeling that he was supposed to come over and give my dad the car.  He said his wife no longer needs a car.  The car is ours to do with as we please.  He doesn’t want anything for the car and he is not expecting to get the car back.  If we happen to not need it and want to give it back at some point we can, but it is not expected.  I tear  up every time I recount this story because I can’t believe how amazing our God is.  I can’t believe how he uses ordinary people to do extraordinary things.  I wonder if the neighbor even knew he was helping God complete a miracle.  I wonder how many times we have been part of one of God’s miracles and we didn’t even know.  I bet God has used each one of us many times.  We thought we were just doing a kind deed.  However, you never know when a kind word or deed from you feels like a miracle to the person receiving it.  You never know when that kind thing you are doing is actually the exact answer to someone’s prayer.  This is why it is so important to listen to the Holy Spirit’s promptings.  If you feel called to do something.  Even if you are not sure why, try to do it.  It could just be that you are being called to complete a miracle.  Even though I have either heard about or witnessed these miracles, I still don’t always follow in God’s footsteps.  I still mess up, I still sin, I still worship false Gods.  Well, I don’t intentionally worship false God’s.  I definitely do not think that anything or anyone is more important than God.  And yet, my actions don’t always back that up.   Sometimes I know God is waiting for me to do something and yet I sit down and watch TV instead.  Is that putting TV ahead of God?  Yes.  Is it worshiping a false God?  I honestly don’t know.  I felt led to write that, so I am guess it could be.  Or are we worshiping the actors or sports players above God?  I think it could be different for everyone.  I don’t think there is a blanket answer.  I do think that we should all take a look at our lives and consider if there is anything that we could work on.  This is what I mean when I say the Holy Spirit reminds me not to judge.  When I start to wonder how the Israelites kept getting it so wrong, the Holy Spirit brings these thoughts to the front of my mind.  He reminds me that I am doing the same thing, just in different ways.  He reminds me that none of us are perfect and yet God is forgiving and patient and will keep being there for us when we repent and turn back.  I know this episode is long already, but I wanted to just take a minute to explain that the Holy Spirit always brings up these thoughts in a loving way, never in a condemning way.  If you are having thoughts that make you feel terrible about yourself, these are not from the Holy Spirit.  These are from the enemy.  I won’t go into a long explanation, but if you are ever wondering if the thought is from the Holy Spirit or the enemy, that’s the difference. The Holy Spirit convicts you in a loving way and the enemy condemns you and makes you feel bad about yourself.  Dear heavenly father I ask that you bless all those listening to this episode today. Lord we thank you for all the miracles you do in our lives. Lord we ask that you help us to recognize all of the miracles you do for us and others. We ask that you open our eyes wide so that we don't miss any of it. Lord we ask that the Holy Spirit convict us when we are having judgmental thoughts. None of us are perfect Lord.  Instead of looking and judging at what others are doing wrong we ask that you help us turn that gaze inward and show us how we can live more fully in your ways.  Lord, we ask that you help us listen to the promptings of the Holy Spirit and give us the courage to follow through on any promptings that we hear. Lord we ask that you use us as your instruments to carry out miracles here on earth.  Lord we love you so very much and we ask all of us in accordance with your will and in Jesus holy name amen.