I AM

Exodus 3: 14

God replied to Moses, "I AM WHO I AM. Say this to the people of Israel, 'I AM has sent me to you.'"

I AM = YHWH = Yahweh = Jehovah = The Self-Existent One. The One Who has always been because He exists within Himself. He is Existence.

Yet Psalm 22 presents this great, self-existent One as poured out like water, abandoned by God, and mocked and scorned by men. The very men He created. In Matthew 17:22 Jesus told them that He would be betrayed and killed, and rise again, and His disciples were filled with grief.

O my Father, You are God, I am not. You came to this Earth as Your Son, still retaining Your Sovereignty, but in human flesh, holding your Divinity in abeyance. That You would allow men to abuse You, beat You and spit on You--and put You to death as the criminal I am. You took my place on that Cross, just as that innocent lamb in Leviticus 1 substituted its death for the penitent who brought it. 

I can do nothing. Anything that seems to be accomplished in or through me is You in me. Please help me to remember moment-by-moment and day-by-day that I am powerless to do anything, that any measures I try to take to manipulate circumstances will only backfire.

Strengthen me to rely only on You to arrange the circumstances of my life to accomplish Your purposes, and please keep me out of Your way. Humble me before You that Your character will be seen in me by others, and not my own. Then You will receive all the credit, the glory for everything You do.

Even so, come, Lord Jesus!