The Eternal ‘I AM’

 

Exodus 3:14 (NRSVue) - “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.’”

In Exodus 3, God reveals Himself to Moses through a burning bush.

He then commands Moses to go to Pharoah and deliver His people from bondage.

Moses first questions why God should choose to send him.

He then asks how he should respond when the people ask who sent him.

The name God gives is ‘I AM’.

Not I WAS, or I WILL BE, but ‘I AM’.

This speaks volumes as God is eternal.

The name ‘I AM’ confirms this.

Paul, in his letter to the Romans, speaks of another of God’s eternal aspects.

He speaks of God’s eternal love through Christ.

Romans 8:31 (NRSVue) - What then are we to say about these things? If God is for us, who is against us?

God, the eternal ‘I AM’ delivered His people.

God, the eternal ‘I AM’ enabled those in Rome to set aside their fears.

God, the eternal ‘I AM’ delivers us and gives us confidence.

We no longer have a reason to fear.

Even physical death has lost its power to intimidate us,

God, the eternal ‘I AM’ gives us His peace, His love, and His hope.

There may be times we fail to recognize His presence, but He is there, nonetheless.

He has plans for our future.

And, when our work is done, He has already prepared a place for us.

All these things, and more, are gifts of the eternal ‘I AM’.

They are God’s gifts of love to us through Christ.

Blessings,

Jim Pokorny

The Other Brother Jim

Look for me at https://faithfulfeetteam.blogspot.com/ on Friday, June 2, 2023.

I will be back here on Friday, June 9, 2023

True Forgiveness

 

2 Chronicles 30:18b-19 (NIV) - “May the Lord, who is good, pardon everyone who sets their heart on seeking God—the Lord, the God of their ancestors—even if they are not clean according to the rules of the sanctuary.”

In 2 Chronicles, King Hezekiah celebrated the Passover.

He sent messengers throughout the kingdom asking the people to return to the Lord.

Many mocked the messengers.

Yet some of the faithful traveled to Jerusalem with their sacrifices.

Many were ceremonially unclean, so the Levites consecrated their offerings.

And so, Hezekiah prayed to the Lord to pardon everyone, even those who were ceremonially unclean.

In Mark 2, Jesus showed forgiveness.

He forgave and then healed a paralyzed man.

He dined with sinners.

The Pharisees criticized Jesus for doing so.

Jesus explained His actions regarding sinners.

Mark 2:17 (NIV) - On hearing this, Jesus said to them, “It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners.”

I honestly believe that forgiveness is something people struggle with.

This can be true even of Christians.

And when taken to task on this, we find it too easy to justify our unwillingness to forgive.

And just as sad, we sometimes have trouble forgiving ourselves.

This is a tremendous and unnecessary burden which we impose on ourselves.

But the truth of the matter is that we are completely and forever forgiven.

This is not our doing.

True forgiveness is made possible through Jesus.

And He extends that forgiveness to all.

He even extends it to those we find difficult to forgive.

Even when we find it hard to forgive ourselves, Christ offers complete and eternal forgiveness.

Through Christ, we are forgiven.

Through Christ, we are made new.

Through Christ, hearts of stone are made flesh once more.

Through Christ, relationships are mended.

When we truly seek forgiveness, Christ is there, ready to forgive.

And when that happens, we are free to love and forgive others.

We can even forgive ourselves and forever lose the guilt which burdens us.

Blessings,

Jim Pokorny

The Other Brother Jim

Look for me at https://faithfulfeetteam.blogspot.com/ on Friday, May 19, 2023.

I will be back here on Friday, May 26, 2023