I Am Who I Am

Read Exodus 20:1-7

The ten commandments begin with God’s own self-identification. “I am the Lord your God” is translated from the same Hebrew word with which God answered Moses’ question of the burning bush: “Who are you? what is your name?” Both times God said, “I am who I am.”

Three commandments follow from this declaration: 1) You shall not worship any other gods; 2) you shall not make or worship idols; 3) you shall not misuse God’s name.

We are in deep trouble already, and Lent is the time to repent.

1) “Other gods” abound in our lives, no matter how we might protest otherwise. “Other gods” are any loyalties or loves which come between us and our “First love,” the love of our life, God.

2) We not only worship other idols (such as material wealth), but we like to think of God in images that reduce God to a manageable size. We use human labels for God which are less inclusive than “I am Who I am,” so that in prayer we can feel safer with the smaller God we picture.

3) We regularly misuse the name “God,” in today’s constant comment, “O My God,” even reduced to the text messaging anagram, “omg.” These habits are prohibited in the claim God places upon us as people called by the name of the Lord, who is holy.

Prayer: Most Holy God, forgive us for our presumptions and return us to worshiping you in spirit and in truth, we pray. Amen.

Betsy Lunz