I am

Exodus 3:13-14 But Moses said to God, ‘If I come to the Israelites and say to them, “The God of your ancestors has sent me to you”, and they ask me, “What is his name?” what shall I say to them?’ God said to Moses, ‘I am who I am.’ He said further, ‘Thus you shall say to the Israelites, “I am has sent me to you.”'

The title of the section from which these verses orginate is, "God's Divine Name is Revealed." He tells Moses, "Tell them that 'I am has sent me to you.'" Just like God, this name is amazingly simple and short, but almost unfathomable. To me, without exploring it much in references, this name has several meanings, and most of the ones I want to highlight can be seen in this chapter of Exodus.

• We talked a few days ago about faith, and how it doesn't prove anything. In this passage, God calls himself I am. He doesn't try to prove that He exists -- he demands that we take it on faith that he exists. "I am."
• I am is very similar in my mind to the word "be." "I am," says God. Looking at Exodus 3:11-12a "But Moses said to God, ‘Who am I that I should go to Pharaoh, and bring the Israelites out of Egypt?’He said, ‘I will be with you;..." God will be with the Israelites. He will be with them. It is an affirmation of his presence and his support of them.
• I never thought about this before, but I am is a verb. (Thanks to Andy at Enter the Rainbow for that observation.) God doesn't just see them -- he is aware of their plight, and he takes action. It is a call, I think, for us to do the same.
• I am _____. I wonder, perhaps, if it is a call for us to fill in the blank. What do we need? How can he help us he most? He will be for us what he knows that we need the most. He will provide for us that which we need to do what he wants us to do. I am ... comforter, listener, leader, friend, father. I will be whatever it is that I need to be in order to reach you.
• I am indescribable. No matter what we do to try to make him small enough to understand, he will always be larger than our words.

I think the name I am unites the concept of faith and action together -- it is a statement of existance as well as a verb calling for action. It is the combination of "being" and "doing." It is the statement that is so large that is tries to encompass God, but fails.

Image: Woods near VA parking lot this morning.
Correction to Packing post -- JM/reunion group members did not cover 26% of the prayer vigil -- it was 13% -- I forgot the time segments are 1/2 hour instead of 1 full hour and did the math wrong. Is still think it's pretty incredible.