Planting Seeds Day 2: I AM

Planting seeds for His harvest starts with a clearer understanding of just Who it is that designed and commanded this cycle of life that originated with our One and Only God. He is a sending God and sends us out to labor for this harvest of souls, supplied with all that He is in our hearts and minds. Who else is our God?

Moses was in the pasture and saw a blazing fire in the middle of a bush and yet it was not burning up. When the LORD saw that He had Moses’ attention, He called from the bush, “Moses, Moses! Here I am. Remove your sandals on this holy ground. I am the God of your father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob.” Moses hid his face, because he was afraid to look at God. God said, “I will send you to Pharaoh to bring My people out of Egypt.” Moses said, “Who am I to do this?” God said, “I will be with you.” Moses said, “When I go to the sons of Israel and they ask me what is Your name, what shall I say?” God said to Moses, “I AM WHO I AM. You shall say that I AM has sent you.” From Exodus 3: 2-14.

Since Adam named the animals (Genesis 2:19), we have recognized that a name signifies something special. We usually wait to name a pet until we see their personality. Most parents will withhold the name of their coming child until its birth. And those parents will probably have a story behind its meaning, whether it has a traditional spelling or not. My parents told me my English grandmother named me Amanda, which was always special since, although I was born in England, we mostly lived in the States. I knew that my name meant beloved or worthy to be loved and when I became a Christian, it gained an added meaning. I was worthy to be loved because He first loved me!

Every religion in Moses’ time had multiple gods with multiple names. Even different groups, tribes and nations of people had different names for the same god concepts. And every family had their own household gods. Some were ascribed names of popular gods, but some of them were personal gods for that home. So in those days there were always many names to be aware of and many gods to bow down before. 

When God introduced Himself to Moses, it was important to establish the name of the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. He had been referred to by them as El or El Shaddai, El being the name of the highest Canaanite god. When Moses asked, “Who am I?” and “Who are You?” I doubt he expected such a unique answer. This name implied a lot about the One it named: I AM WHO I AM. It’s not about who Moses was, but about who God is. This God, with the announcement of His name, defined Himself as so much more than any other. He was saying,

I AM self-sufficient, totally independent, the actual source for all needs, 

I AM self-made, I existed before time and created everything that exists,

I AM self-sustaining, I am stable, not slowing down, nothing gets lost or disappears,

I AM all-encompassing, everything is in My scope, nothing else is bigger, 

I AM all-powerful, My power is absolute, without any weakness ever, 

I AM all-knowing, with complete and unlimited knowledge and design. 

This EVERYTHING God of the Universe squeezed into an (8′ or so high) burning bush to reach out to Moses so that His people would be set free. He will do whatever He needs to connect with us and see us set free from whatever is troubling us. Learn to recognize the light of His fire. Stop and smell the burning. Fall on your knees before I AM WHO I AM.

Tell this story to others who don’t yet believe. 

I AM WHO I AM, I want to live by the light of Your burning fire. Burn away the trash in my life. Speak to me. I want to be attentive to everything that You are. Amen.