can imagine it as a place where we need to hide the hardships and

struggles of life.  We look around and think that everyone else has a

relatively smooth life and that it is easy for them to worship Jesus. 

But if we get past the assumptions and shallow way of thinking about

others, we realize that life is probably hard for all of us. And those

struggles that each of us face can bring up deep questions about God and

about hope.  We’re beginning a study in the book of Exodus today, and

we’re going to see how God meets us in the hard places. As the book

opens, God’s people are facing undeserved suffering.  Since many of us

face the same situation, let’s see what we can learn from the experience

of the children of Israel.