January 4
Straight from the Pastor’s heart by Dr. Hernes Abante
Exodus 6:2-3 - “And God spake unto Moses, and said unto him, I am the LORD:
And I appeared unto Abraham, Unto Isaac, and Jacob, by the name of God Almighty, but by my name JEHOVAH was I not known to them.”
The Triune God is recognized by countless names, each portraying His perfect character and sovereignty. No single name can fully encapsulate God's being or nature. For every good thing in this world comes from God.
In today's text, God reveals His true name to Moses. The name God gives Moses is not something that anyone else has given Him, nor has it been taken from any description. This name is what God calls Himself. His name is "I AM THAT I AM," which translates to "Yahweh" in Hebrew, and eventually "Jehovah." The name "I Am" is fitting for God because He is everything. We can attach any and every perfect description to His perfect name.
As God, Jesus is the great "I Am." He calls Himself, "I Am the Bread of Life," "I Am the Light," "I Am the Door," "I Am the Alpha and Omega," "I Am the Water of Life," and many more!
The name of God is so holy that the Jews were cautious in writing and uttering it. It is a name composed solely of consonants, and the only way to pronounce it is by inhaling and exhaling. When we breathe, we pronounce God's name. When Adam was created, God breathed into him, and he became a living soul.
God's name symbolizes life. Every time we inhale and exhale, we mention the name of God, who gives us life. As Christians, we must surrender our lives to Him.
Before sin entered the world, all creations were alive and worshipped God. After sin entered the world, lifeless or dead things began to exist. Despite this, God continues to provide life. There has never been a time in this world when He has stopped giving life. He has given us physical life and, through His grace, sustains us daily. He has given us spiritual life through the Holy Spirit, who dwells in us. He has promised eternal life, meaning we will be with Him forever.
To restore life, God sent Jesus Christ, who is "I Am," the Bread of Life. He is the one who restores life that has been damaged by sin. The Bible states that His name is above any other name under heaven - "Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none another name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved." (Acts 4:12)
When we breathe, we are all reminded of God's name, YHWH. This isn't a coincidence but rather God's way of reminding us of His ever-presence and His grace. Every time we take a breath, we are reminded of the brevity of life. Man's life is in God's hands. Without the Son of God, there is no life
Our Prayer for today:
Our Heavenly Father, we address You by many names, yet Your true name, YHWH, reveals to us Your boundless love. We ask for Your forgiveness that we often fail to appreciate the significance of Your name. From the moment You breathed life into Adam, Your breath has sustained us, and it continues to do so to this day. May every person who draws breath understand that our physical existence will eventually come to an end. May they turn to Jesus, whose name transcends all others. We pray this in the name of Jesus. Amen.