Time

Time

Moses said to God, “Suppose I go to the Israelites and say to them, ‘The God of your fathers has sent me to you,’ and they ask me, ‘What is his name?’ Then what shall I tell them?” 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.’ ”

Exodus 3:13-14, NIV

What do the following questions have in common?

1. When is dinner?
2. How old are you?
3. Is your term paper due next week?

Time. We all measure time, and we all know that time passes, but it’s impossible to say exactly what time is. One dictionary defines it as “a nonspatial continuum in which events occur in apparently irreversible succession from the past through the present to the future.”

That prompted me to look up the word continuum: “A continuous extent, succession, or whole.” It seems to me that God is the continuum—God who mentioned his full name in the Bible only once: “I am who I am.”

God spoke his name to Moses when Moses was out with his sheep one day and encountered a burning bush. Moses approached because he thought it was curious that the bush was on fire but didn’t burn up. Then God spoke to him from the bush, asking him to go to Pharaoh and lead the Israelites out of Egypt. Although that display of God’s power took place many years ago, God hasn’t changed. Hebrews 13:8 reminds us that God is the same yesterday, today, and forever.

As we face challenges in our families, it’s very comforting to know that God is the I AM. What difficult situations are you facing in your piece of God’s continuum? It’s good to be reminded of the glory and power of the “I AM” God who is always the same, accomplishing his purposes in us as we look to him.

God,

When Moses struggled to understand how you were going to accomplish your plans through him, you came alongside him and showed him how powerful and mighty you are. We struggle with some of the same questions at times. Please encourage us with your Word and with your presence, so we will be equipped to do your Kingdom work, beginning in our home. Amen.