SCRIPTURE: Exodus 3
OBSERVATION/APPLICATION:
(Read my reflection from 2008)
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 3:14]
God wants Moses to go back to Egypt and stand up for God against Pharoah.
Moses understandably asks, ‘who am I’ to do this?
And God responds, ‘it is not who you are, but Who I am, that matters’.
This is the right perspective for Moses, but also for us.

“Very truly I tell you,” Jesus answered, “before Abraham was born, I am!” At this, they picked up stones to stone him, but Jesus hid himself, slipping away from the temple grounds. [John 8:58-59]
Jesus is standing up for God against the religious leaders, and they are challenging His right to do this.
But notice the difference between Jesus and Moses; Jesus boldly draws attention to Himself.
He does not say ‘who am I’ (like Moses), but ‘I am’ (like God).
The religious leaders understand very well what He is saying, and know that it is blasphemy.
Only God can rightly say ‘I am Who I am’, meaning that He is totally self-sufficient, and does not depend on anyone else for His existence.
You and I cannot say this; we depend on God and others in so many ways – but what about Jesus?
This is one of the clearest evidences that Jesus saw Himself as divine.
We also see it in the many related ‘I am’ statements: I am the light of the world, I am the way, truth and life, I am the gate, I am the good shepherd, I am the resurrection, etc.

This is why Jesus’ followers identity themselves with Him, calling ourselves ‘christians’.
Our confidence does not lie in who we think we are, but in Who Jesus is, and who He sees us as.
When we speak or serve in Jesus’ Name, we know that we are backed by God Himself.
Everything we need – light, truth, life, resurrection, etc. is available to us from Him.
Moses could have this same confidence when He confronted Pharoah – he had divine backing.

I do not pretend to be anyone special, but I know Who is, and I place my confidence in Him.
It is not me, but He Who stands behind me, that gives me hope and strength and boldness.
You can have the same confidence: you are significant in Christ, you are gifted, you have a purpose, you are who you are by God’s design!
This is not boasting, this is confidence properly placed!
“Let the one who boasts boast in the Lord.” For it is not the one who commends himself who is approved, but the one whom the Lord commends. [2 Corinthians 10:17-18]

PRAYER:
Lord, I know who I am because I know Who You are! Strengthen my heart with healthy self-confidence, which is really healthy God-confidence!