What's in a Name?

God said to Moses, "I am who I am."

Exodus 3:14

To the people of Israel, a name was more than an identification for an individual. It was a statement about who that person was. When Moses (whose name means "taken from the water") met God for the first time via the burning bush, Moses wanted to know God's name. Moses wanted to know who God was. God's reply was "I am." Derived from the Hebrew verb to be, this name let Moses know that the One he was speaking to was unlike anyone else. God not only is, but he always was and always will be. God alone was never created, and he exists totally independent from anyone or anything else. "I am" is the one unchanging, eternal God.

The Jewish people considered God's name so holy that they refused to say it aloud for fear of using it in a way that dishonored him. In the New Testament, however, Jesus not only spoke God's name, but he also used it to refer to himself. The people listening immediately tried to stone Jesus. They knew God's words in Exodus. They understood that Jesus was calling himself God.

When God told Moses his name, God revealed the essence of who he is - and confirmed in advance that the same essence was in his Son. In the same way that God introduced himself to Moses, this verse introduces you to God. It assures you that the "I am" of the universes is active and involved in life here on earth.

Understanding God's eternal nature, and that Jesus is wholly God, gives you the same assurance it did Moses. "I am" is with you, steadfast and unchangeable.

Source: The 100 Most Important Bible Verses

Pray to God and give thanks for he is unchanging and eternal in all his ways. ~ MME Team

Stop , Look, Listen, and Trust

God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear, even though the earth be removed, and through the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea... "Be still, and know that I am God."

Psalm 46:1-2

          The Psalms are a tapestry of human emotions. The poetry of prayer weaves together anger, fear, joy, longing, despair, praise, and passion. These verses sum up God's response to those prayers. Their truth is the thread of peace and comfort that runs through he entire book of Psalms, as well as the rest of the Bible - and the life of every individual who walks with God. God's answer to those who are emotionally troubled is brief and straight forward: stop and remember who is on your side.

          Psalm 46 talks about earthquakes falling mountains, cities being destroyed, nations being in an uproar, kingdoms crumbling. It talks about the final destruction of the world itself. The overall tone of the psalm is anything but quiet and still. One sentence, however, says to "be still," and the focal point of emotion changes from outside chaos to internal rest. That's why this psalm was written as a song. It proclaimed a message everyone needed to hear.

          Let the truth of these verse find a home in your heart today. When  life gets busy or chaotic, it's easy to get distracted. You wind up focusing on problems instead of the One who holds the answer to your problems in his hands. When that happens, stop. Focus on who God is and how much he loves you. Share your own heartfelt psalm of prayer with the God of power and compassion. Be still and know God is near.

          The words in Psalm 46 hold incredible power when it comes to knowing God is near in any and every situation. Memorize them. Meditate on them. Keep them close at heart for when you need them most.

          Pray to God to be still and know that he is in control at all times. ~ MME Team