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)

We will all know that a true sign of familiarity between friends is the use of a nickname. Whether it’s the simple abbreviation of a name using initials or a distinct characteristic that becomes a calling card, nicknames show an intimacy between people.

In Exodus 3, God designates the most extraordinary of nicknames for Himself!

Moses asks God for a way to describe Him to the Israelite people because Moses needs to be able to tell them who sent him. God answers, “I AM WHO I AM. This is what you are to say to the Israelites: I AM sent me to you.”

I think that’s amazing! It says it all. God feels no need to limit Himself with words. He simply is5

He is not restricted by an action, characteristic or perception. His nickname is simple, yet reveals volumes about His character. Only God could use the language He created to describe Himself so beautifully.

I AM omniscient. I AM omnipresent. I AM omnipotent. I AM loving. I AM the Creator. I AM the Father. I AM jealous. I AM comforting. I AM gracious. I AM merciful. I AM here for you. I AM in control. I AM beyond words.

The reality for me is that the name of God gives me comfort every day.

As I venture into the unknown of every new day, I know that He is. When I wonder who is going to guide my steps, God says, “I AM.” When I ask who is strong enough to face all my fears, He reveals, “I AM.” With all the doubts and all the fears that bombard my faith every day, I hear one comforting, echoing answer to all my questions: “I AM.”

As we daily follow the great I Am, we are continually reminded of our weakness and His strength.

When the Israelites heard Moses’ message, they were blown away. Out of respect to their God, they would not even say His name, for they feared they might use it in vain. God gave us a name so that we may know Him better, fear Him more and love Him with all our hearts. The Lord’s name revealed who He is and what He is about, all in two simple words.

God’s existence is debated in the highest of intellectual forums. It is discussed around the simplest of dinner tables. But God revealed Himself to Moses in Midian that day thousands of years ago. He revealed Himself to the Israelites through His providence and He has revealed Himself to us through the change in our hearts. Moses knew that ‘He is’. The Israelites knew that ‘He is’. We can know that ‘He is’.

This fact, that God ‘is’, should direct our every step, control our every decision and guide our every thought, as we navigate our way through our lives.