Exodus 3:14-15 “God said to Moses, “I Am who I Am.” And he said, “Say this to the people of Israel: ‘I Am has sent me to you.’” God also said to Moses, “Say this to the people of Israel: ‘The LORD the God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, has sent me to you.’ This is my name forever, and thus I am to be remembered throughout all generations.”
What gave me pause and had me meditating on these verses was this statement, “This is my name forever, and thus I am to be remembered throughout all generations.”
Fast forward about 1500 years later, Jesus was teaching and answering questions with a crowd of people including some Pharisees. In John 8:58, He concluded the discussion with, “Truly, truly, I say to you, before Abraham was, I am.” This statement made the crowd so angry that they tried to stone Him. None of His earlier or later “I am the …”statements caused quite that reaction.
Jesus was saying, “I am YOUR God, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, the God of Jacob…that God.” He was using God’s “forever” name, the name that has no beginning and no end, the name that was only given to this God alone. They had been waiting so long, with such expectations built up in their mind, that when their long awaited Messiah had arrived and their expectations were not met, many missed the moment got angry. But what a moment it was for those who heard and believed! I try to place myself in that scene and realize my mind cannot wrap around this beautiful, astonishing gift of mercy and grace. It is a gift that cannot be received with logic or rationale, but can only be received by faith, faith planted by God alone.
John 1:14, “The Word became flesh and dwelt among us. And we have seen His glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full and grace and truth.” No Christmas gifts, ornaments, tree, sacred Christmas music, family meals, or Christmas plays can ever hold the awe, reverence and joy of the great love that God has for us, so much love that He “became flesh and dwelt among us”. Merry Christ-mas!
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