In the Scriptures, God reveals his nature to us through his names. In Genesis he reveals himself as Elohim, the transcendent Creator worthy to receive worship. In Isaiah, he reveals himself as Emmanuel, God with us —showing his great love for us by stooping down and meeting us.
When God asked Moses to lead his people out of bondage, he gave him a fresh revelation of one of his names to equip him, to strengthen him. “Then Moses said to God, ‘Indeed, when I come to the children of Israel and say to them, “The God of your fathers has sent me to you,” and they say to me, “What is His name?” what shall I say to them?’ And God said to Moses, ‘I AM WHO I AM’” (Exodus 3:13-14).
No matter what you are facing, no matter what you are carrying in your life at this moment, God is the I Am. He is not the I once was or I may be someday. No, he is your Lord, your God, your I Am — now. The Scriptures always refer to God in the present because we have yesterdays and tomorrow, but God doesn’t have a yesterday or tomorrow. God is always the now God, the ever-present Father.
Psalm 86:11 says, “Teach me your ways, O Lord, and I will walk in truth and unite my heart to honor your name.” What a prayer that says, “Lord, bring my heart to a place of never living in vain. I want my life to hallow your name. I want my testimony, my words to hallow your name. I want the truth, the joy, my trueness and my character to hallow your name. Hallowed be your name in my life!”
Jesus the Messiah is our hope, our peace, our joy unspeakable and full of glory. He is our rock and our prophet, our high priest and our redeemer, the Son of Man, the Son of the Most High God. Receive God’s peace today; receive freedom from anxiety, freedom from fear — and worship the powerful name of Jesus!
Claude Houde is the lead pastor of Eglise Nouvelle Vie (New Life Church) in Montreal, Canada. Under his leadership New Life Church has grown from a handful of people to more than 3500 in a part of Canada with few successful Protestant churches.