14 God said to Moses, "I AM WHO I AM. This is what you are to say to the Israelites: `I AM has sent me to you.' " Exodus3:14
The Hebrew verb "hayah" means to "be." God uses this verse to introduce himself using this simple yet powerful construct. "I AM who I AM."
This has a present and future connotation.
"I AM and will always BE!"
"I AM the constant one!"
"I AM with you!"
In uncertain times He is the the One whose "constancy in presence" makes all the difference. The name doesn't pin Him down or trap Him. He is not "rock" or "mountain." He calls Himself "I AM." No matter where you are or what trouble you are in: "I AM!"
It is this same verb that forms the root of the Old Testament's favourite unique name for God - Yahweh (translated by some as Jehovah) which is the 3rd person form of "hayah" and means "He IS."
People asked the Israelites "Who's your God?"
They would answer "Yahweh! - He, the One who IS!"
When I was a teen, there was a Swedish Gospel Band "Edin Adahl" who sang a song entitled "X-Factor." In the chorus they sang:
You are the X-Factor, eternal life reactor, You are the X-Factor.
You put my heart in motion, activate my inner section,
You are the X-Factor!
I like the idea behind the song. God is much more than a constant but He is more than simply a variable (small "x") He is the "(capital) X factor" - He is the "Constant-Variable" that brings life, change and transformation. Introduce the "X" into any equation and the equation becomes dependent on X.
God IS.
And when He is in the room, things will change!
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Theo Groeneveld theo@emmanuel.org.za
You can see past EmmDevs at http://emmdev.blogspot.com/
