Thursday 17 July 2025 - I am who I am

Thursday 17 July 2025

Today is Thursday the 17th of July, in the 15th week of Ordinary Time. One Hope Project sings, ‘Abba Father’. Abba Father, breathe on me Wash me in Your glory When faith is frail You carry me In Your presence I am free Today’s reading is from the Book of Exodus. Exodus 3:13-20 But Moses said to God, ‘If I come to the Israelites and say to them, “The God of your ancestors has sent me to you”, and they ask me, “What is his name?” what shall I say to them?’ God said to Moses, ‘I am who I am.’ He said further, ‘Thus you shall say to the Israelites, “I am has sent me to you.” ’ God also said to Moses, ‘Thus you shall say to the Israelites, “The Lord, the God of your ancestors, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, has sent me to you”: This is my name for ever, and this my title for all generations.’ Go and assemble the elders of Israel, and say to them, “The Lord, the God of your ancestors, the God of Abraham, of Isaac, and of Jacob, has appeared to me, saying: I have given heed to you and to what has been done to you in Egypt. I declare that I will bring you up out of the misery of Egypt, to the land of the Canaanites, the Hittites, the Amorites, the Perizzites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites, a land flowing with milk and honey.” They will listen to your voice; and you and the elders of Israel shall go to the king of Egypt and say to him, “The Lord, the God of the Hebrews, has met with us; let us now go a three days’ journey into the wilderness, so that we may sacrifice to the Lord our God.” I know, however, that the king of Egypt will not let you go unless compelled by a mighty hand. So I will stretch out my hand and strike Egypt with all my wonders that I will perform in it; after that he will let you go.' In today’s reading we return to the burning bush and the conversation between God and Moses and God reveals his name, ‘I am who I am’. God tells Moses, ‘So tell the Israelites that I AM has sent me to you.’ We might wonder what Moses thought of this name...can you let the name ‘I AM’ reveal something to you about the nature of God? ‘Thus you shall say to the Israelites, “The Lord,[b] the God of your ancestors, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, has sent me to you”: ‘This is my name forever and this is my title for all generations’. Take a moment to rest in the name of I am... perhaps imagine the Lord repeating his name to you. As you listen to the second part of the reading, listen carefully to the instructions God gives to Moses, and notice what most strikes you. Go and assemble the elders of Israel, and say to them, “The Lord, the God of your ancestors, the God of Abraham, of Isaac, and of Jacob, has appeared to me, saying: I have given heed to you and to what has been done to you in Egypt. I declare that I will bring you up out of the misery of Egypt, to the land of the Canaanites, the Hittites, the Amorites, the Perizzites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites, a land flowing with milk and honey.” They will listen to your voice; and you and the elders of Israel shall go to the king of Egypt and say to him, “The Lord, the God of the Hebrews, has met with us; let us now go a three days’ journey into the wilderness, so that we may sacrifice to the Lord our God.” I know, however, that the king of Egypt will not let you go unless compelled by a mighty hand. So I will stretch out my hand and strike Egypt with all my wonders that I will perform in it; after that he will let you go.' ‘I have given heed to you,’ God tells Moses. God has seen the suffering of the Israelites and unfolds his rescue plan. ‘I am’ loves and cares for his people. Spend a little more time in the company of this compassionate God. Where do you long to see this God at work in our world today? Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit. As it was in the beginning, is now and ever shall be World without end Amen