Nehemiah 9:13-15

While they were in the desert, God called Moses up to Sinai Mountain. On Sinai Mountain, God gave Moses good and fair laws for his people. God told the people to rest on the 7th day of the week. That was a special holy day for God. Then the people knew how to obey God. They knew how God wanted them to live.

Also while the people were in the desert, God fed them. He sent them special bread from heaven. He even brought water for them out of a rock. He showed them that he cared about them. He showed them that he was the powerful real God. God reminded the people that he had promised to give to them their own special country. Other nations already lived in that country. But God told the *Jews to go into the country. He told them to take possession of it.

We can read all about this in Exodus Chapter s 16 to 20.

v16 ‘But our *ancestors became proud.

They did not want to do what you told them to do.

They refused to obey your instructions.

v17 They refused to obey you.

They did not remember the wonderful acts

that you performed among them.

They were not loyal to you.

They appointed a leader to take them back

to the place where they had been slaves.

But you are a God who forgives.

You are very kind to people, although they do not deserve your kindness.

You are slow to become angry,

and you always love very much.

So you did not leave our *ancestors.

v18 You did not leave them even when they made

a gold image of a young cow.

They said, “This image is your god who brought you out of Egypt.”

They did very evil things to insult you.

v19 You show great kindness to your people.

So you did not leave them in the desert.

The column of cloud did not leave them.

By day, it led them in the way that they should go.

The column of fire by night did not leave them.

It lit up their way and it showed them where to go.

v20 You sent your good Spirit to teach our *ancestors.

You did not stop feeding them with your bread from heaven.

You gave them water when they needed to drink.

v21 For 40 years you provided everything that they needed in the desert.

They did not need anything else.

Their clothes never wore out and their feet never became tired or sore.’