Living in the Spirit

August 27, 2023

Scripture Reading:

Exodus 3:1-15

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.” ’ God also said to Moses, ‘Thus you shall say to the Israelites, “The Lord, the God of your ancestors, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, has sent me to you”:
This is my name forever,
and this my title for all generations. –Exodus 3:13-15

I tend to think of God as beyond human understanding, but certain characteristics of God are consistently recognizable. The New Interpreter’s Bible Commentary, when considering God’s declaration of I AM WHO I AM, describes three clear attributes of God: power, fidelity, and presence.  God in creation demonstrated God’s all-powerfulness. In God’s history with the people, God lived his loyalty and the consistency of God’s presence. At the close of this scripture, we receive the name that is not a name, Yahweh. Derived from the verb to be, it stresses the power of being and the possibility of newness. Rightness and justice can be renewed. We can grow from our mistakes and make progress toward an even better outcome as we strive to work with God’s help to live in God’s love.

Moses demanded God’s name after he heard what God had chosen Moses to do, actions that he felt were far beyond his grasp. God’s declaration of I AM WHO I AM was the assurance that if Moses accepted his assignment, it came with the promise of God’s power, fidelity, and presence. Scary as our calling today may be to us, we, too, have that same promise today.

Prayer: Lord, give us the strength and courage to receive and implement your calling. Amen.

All scriptures are quoted from the New Revised Standard Version Bible: Anglicized Edition, copyright 1989, 1995, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights are reserved.