Grace and Peace to you from God our Father and from our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Amen.

The text for today’s meditation is Exodus 16:2

And the whole congregation of the people of Israel grumbled against Moses and Aaron in the wilderness, ³ and the people of Israel said to them, "Would that we had died by the hand of the LORD in the land of Egypt, when we sat by the meat pots and ate bread to the full, for you have brought us out into this wilderness to kill this whole assembly with hunger." ⁴ Then the LORD said to Moses, "Behold, I am about to rain bread from heaven for you, and the people shall go out and gather a day's portion every day, that I may test them, whether they will walk in my law or not. ⁵ On the sixth day, when they prepare what they bring in, it will be twice as much as they gather daily." ⁶ So Moses and Aaron said to all the people of Israel, "At evening you shall know that it was the LORD who brought you out of the land of Egypt, ⁷ and in the morning you shall see the glory of the LORD, because he has heard your grumbling against the LORD. For what are we, that you grumble against us?" ⁸ And Moses said, "When the LORD gives you in the evening meat to eat and in the morning bread to the full, because the LORD has heard your grumbling that you grumble against him--what are we? Your grumbling is not against us but against the LORD." ⁹ Then Moses said to Aaron, "Say to the whole congregation of the people of Israel, 'Come near before the LORD, for he has heard your grumbling.'" ¹⁰ And as soon as Aaron spoke to the whole congregation of the people of Israel, they looked toward the wilderness, and behold, the glory of the LORD appeared in the cloud. ¹¹ And the LORD said to Moses, ¹² "I have heard the grumbling of the people of Israel. Say to them, 'At twilight you shall eat meat, and in the morning you shall be filled with bread. Then you shall know that I am the LORD your God.'" ¹³ In the evening quail came up and covered the camp, and in the morning dew lay around the camp. ¹⁴ And when the dew had gone up, there was on the face of the wilderness a fine, flake-like thing, fine as frost on the ground. ¹⁵ When the people of Israel saw it, they said to one another, "What is it?" For they did not know what it was. And Moses said to them, "It is the bread that the LORD has given you to eat.

What is it like to live in a refugee camp? Let me read one organization’s explanation. "Most camps are built in most inhospitable, isolated, barren areas and are mainly supported by international aid, which is not sufficient. In camps, people live in tiny pieces of land that makes communicable diseases spread easily. Life is so difficult there due to congestion of refugees and limited aid as well as basic needs."

Let me introduce you to 24 year old Moulid Hujale a Somali refugee living in the refugee camp named Dadaab in Northeastern Kenya. He and his family fled their war torn country after his father was killed. He and his siblings were separated from their mother in the confusion of the escape. He arrived there in 1997 when he was 10 after walking 100 km or 62 miles with relatives. He and his siblings were very happy when they were reunited with their mother at the refugee camp. After registering at the camp they were given a ration card entitling them to food, shelter, and healthcare. Here is a picture of their shelter that he has lived in for ten years. This is one of the nicer camps. Look at this make shift refugee camp.

There were several schools at the camp. The younger kids meet under the big tree in front of the principal’s office. They had no books or paper. They were forced to stay away from school when it rained until the ground dried. The students were immersed in Kenyan history and culture while their Somali history and culture was ignored. Secondary education is very limited and no opportunities for college education. Hope does not abound in the camp. Most of those that didn’t get into high school turn to drugs or return to Somalia and join the militia fighting.

There is employment in the camp but the maximum amount they can earn is the equivalent of $100 a month some earn as little as $40. The refugees do the difficult tasks and the Kenyan counterparts get paid ten times as much. The employment conditions discourage those still in school. They complain that there is no need for 12 years of school just to end up unemployed or working without any dignity.

This is the story of a modern day refugee camp. Think about the Israelites, they were refugees from Egypt. They left with what they could carry. They essentially lived in a mobile refugee camp. They were in tents but they kept on moving as the Lord directed them. They were a people without a land just as Moulid and his family, they were Somali in Kenya. They were no longer Somali because they were taught about Kenya yet they were not allowed to be Kenyan. They were restricted to the camp. The Israelites weren’t Egyptian and they didn’t have their own land but they had one advantage over Moulid. They were God’s chosen people. The Israelites suffered much the same as modern day refugees. There wasn’t enough food or water. Food supplies dwindled and water was scarce. They got frustrated. They complained. Can you blame them? Their life was uncertain and painful. They wondered whether or not God truly provided for them. Just like Moulid and the other refugees, the Israelite’s frustrations and complaints were a plea for help. Their plea was disguised as anger, criticism, and complaining.

We struggle like the Israelites. We face a life of uncertainty. Bob Essig, Rita’s husband underwent 5 hours of open heart surgery Friday. He had many complications going into the surgery and the outcome could not be predicted. That is uncertainty. Unemployment or underemployment causes real uncertainty. We have pain in our life. It hurts when a spouse or a loved one dies. It really hurts for a long time. Our physical ailments cause us pain as well. We have many members that deal with serious pain every day. People like Doreen, Mary, Ann and many more. I don’t want to down play anyone’s pain by not mentioning their name. The pain is real and it hurts for a long time. We wonder where God is in all this uncertainty and pain. We can be frustrated and complain. Like the Israelites, our plea for help can be disguised as well in our anger, criticism, and complaining.

Yahweh heard the murmuring, complaining, and criticisms of the Israelites and He responded. Look at verse 4, " ⁴ Then the LORD said to Moses, "Behold, I am about to rain bread from heaven for you, and the people shall go out and gather a day's portion every day." He could have looked away from the Israelites. He could have condemned the Israelites. Instead of looking away or condemning them He listens and responds. You see this throughout Exodus. He delivered them from Egypt. He cares for them while they wander in the desert. Look at the end of verse 11, And the LORD said to Moses, ¹² "I have heard the grumbling of the people of Israel. Say to them, 'At twilight you shall eat meat, and in the morning you shall be filled with bread. Then you shall know that I am the LORD your God.'" He not only gave them the bread to sustain their life, He gave them meat too. He also comforted them with His presence. Look at verse 10, " ¹⁰ And as soon as Aaron spoke to the whole congregation of the people of Israel, they looked toward the wilderness, and behold, the glory of the LORD appeared in the cloud." God was present with the Israelites. His presence is a comfort.

Does God still hear murmuring and complaining? Does He hear your plea for help? Is He still present with us today? I am here to proclaim to you that yes, He hears your murmuring and complaining. He hears your pleas for help. He is present with you today. Now I know that God’s response to us is not as clear to us as it was to the Israelites. But He still hears and responds to our cries. Last week we talked about the rainbow as a reminder of God’s faithfulness to us. He offers us His presence in the person of Christ, in the Word spoken, in the body and blood of the Lord’s Supper, and in the body of Christ, the community of those who are Christ’s followers. We are the body and we too can hear and respond to each other’s pleas for help. We are not isolated in a refugee camp with no means to help each other. We are the body of Christ. Christ is present at our side and His Spirit is active in our lives, the followers of Christ. We are not looking for some unfeeling government to meet our needs like Moulid and his family. We can rely on Christ to meet our needs. Yahweh hears our pain, anxiety, complaints, and murmuring now through the ears of Christ. Yahweh’s response continues to be turning toward our cries, inclining his ear to us, and responding with the presence of Christ and the gifts of the Holy Spirit. Jesus told those that were following Him looking to be fed "I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me shall not hunger, and whoever believes in me shall never thirst. Look to the presence of Christ because He hears your plea for help. Amen.