The God Who Is “I AM”
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Psalm 119:52, 152
52. When I think of thy ordinances from of old, I take comfort, O Lord. 152. Long have I known from thy testimonies that thou hast founded them for ever.
Matthew 7:24-25
Every one then who hears these words of mine and does them will be like a wise man who built his house upon the rock; and the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat upon that house, but it did not fall, because it had been founded on the rock.
God’s word existed from the beginning of time. It stands firm today, and will last into eternity. Wow! I can’t think of anything else that is that prolific and steadfast. There is only one foundation upon which to build our lives: God. The psalmist in Psalm 119 understood that. Jesus confirms it. When we believe, we know it in our hearts and in our minds. God is. He is the I AM. He is that all encompassing essence of life that sustains us through wars, though suffering, through celebration and rejoicing.
In a world where our very future seems in peril, it is a tremendous comfort to know that God is so reliable and dependable. He is our refuge and our strength. He is time itself and so we can trust that all things are in His care. More than that: we are in His care. This psalmist proclaims his undying gratitude to God and his trust in His word. He beseeches God to allow him to glorify His creator through how he lives his life. Admittedly, though, he falls short constantly. Just as we do. Because God is so merciful, so big and powerful, so complete and so grace-full we constantly have the opportunity to begin anew.
The psalmist also tells God that he is willing to endure affliction, suffering, persecution because God uses all of those painful situations for our ultimate good. He uses them to refine and strengthen us. He loves us too much to leave us on our own, floundering around, forever without direction or purpose. He created within each of us a longing for Him. He wants us to seek Him. He wants us to rely upon Him. He wants us to know that He loves us so much, he created a perfectly orchestrated plan for our lives.
Because of Christ, we can endure any affliction, suffering, or persecution. Because our faith is built upon the Rock of our Salvation. The Cross demonstrates the depth of God’s love for us. The resurrection proves how strong it is. And because of Christ, we are able to offer up our very lives for the God of infinity, trusting that we will join Him in eternity.
My prayer today is that you trust in the God of creation, the God of the present and future. And that you thank that God for the gift of His Son.
Mary
