September 19, our unspeakable privilege.

God said to Moses,

I am who I am, Exodus 3, 14.

One implication of the magnificent name I am who I am

is that this infinite, absolute, self-determining God

has drawn near to us in Jesus Christ. In John 8, 56 to 58,

Jesus is answering the criticism of the Jewish leaders. He says,

your Father Abraham rejoiced that he would see my day. He saw it and was glad.

The Jews then said to him,

you are not yet 50 years old. And have you seen Abraham?

And Jesus said to them, truly, truly, I say to you,

before Abraham was, I am.

How could Jesus have taken any more exalted words upon his lips?

When Jesus said before Abraham was, I am. He took up all the majestic truth of the name of God,

wrapped it in the humility of servanthood, offered himself to a tone for our rebellion

and made a way for us to see the glory of the infinite, absolute, all-sufficient God

without fear. In Jesus Christ, we who are born of God have the unspeakable privilege of knowing

Yahweh as our Father. I am who I am, the God who exists, whose personality and power is

owing solely to himself, who never changes, from whom all power and energy in the universe

flows, and to whom all creation should conform its life. May those who know the name of God

put their trust in Him. Psalm 9, verse 10.