God said to Moses, “I AM WHO I AM”; and He said, “Thus you shall say to the sons of Israel, ‘I AM has sent me to you.’”

—Exodus 3:14

One of the most exciting and fulfilling things to see as a teacher is a lightbulb moment when a student has been grappling with a concept and finally reaches a deeper understanding. I feel like 

I had one of those moments yesterday in church.

Our pastor is walking us through the book of Exodus and this week we read Exodus 3. This is the passage where Moses comes across the burning bush and receives his call to free God’s people from Egypt. It’s also the passage where Moses asks for God’s name and the name God gives Himself is I AM. But what does that mean? Most people will point out that it references the fact that God is eternal, but I’ve always felt like there was more to it, and yesterday God showed me something new in Exodus 3.

First, we need to talk about a concept often discussed in apologetics called the Uncaused First Cause. This is the idea that everything that has a beginning has to come from a cause. A fall on the concrete might cause a scrape. A big bang might cause the formation of a universe, but even then, the big bang requires a cause. The only way to stop the cycle of cause and effect is for there to be an Uncaused First Cause, and according to Exodus 3, His name is I AM.

Here’s what this means: When God chooses the name I AM for Himself, He is telling us not just that He is eternal but also that He is the source—the source of life, joy, goodness, and a few other things that we find in this passage.

1. The source of deep, fulfilling relationship (verses 4-7)
   God is the source of the deep, fulfilling relationships we need. We see this in two ways. First, God initiates the relationship with Moses, and He does so lovingly and affectionately. In that culture, calling someone’s name twice was an expression of love and affection, so the very first time God speaks to Moses, He is communicating His love for him.
   
   The second way God shows Himself to be the source of relationship is because of how He responds to the pain of the Hebrews. Not only does He say He knows their pain––not in the sense of being aware of it, but in the sense of also experiencing it––but He also is the one who comes toward them. In verse 8, God says, “So I have come down to deliver them from the power of the Egyptians.” He is the One being proactive and creating relationships.
2. The source of good things (verses 8, 17)
   This is a pretty easy one to find because in both of these verses, God clearly states that He plans to take the people to a land…you know what it says… “flowing with milk and honey.” Think about those two things—milk and honey. The first is our first source of nourishment that helps us grow and thrive. The second is a flavor enhancer that just makes life more enjoyable. That’s the two things he wants to give His people—life and joy.
3. The source of purpose (verse 10)
   The interesting thing about Moses is that he always seems to have had a bit of a deliverer in his spirit. The whole reason he had to flee Egypt is because he saw an Egyptian beating a Hebrew and he stepped in and killed the Egyptian. He always had this in him, but when he tried to determine his own purpose things went horribly wrong. It wasn’t until God gave him his mission that he was able to live in his purpose in a healthy way.
4. The source of power and authority (verses 11-18)
   While it is ridiculous that Moses immediately began questioning God as soon as He told him what his calling was, Moses does have a point with his first question in verse 11, “Who am I, that I should go to Pharaoh, and that I should bring the sons of Israel out of Egypt?” He was right in the sense that he didn’t have the authority or the power to achieve any of that on his own, but by the end of verse 18, God has made it clear that He would be with Moses, and because of that, the people of Israel would listen to him.
5. If we will let Him, He can also be our source of peace (verse 12)
   Here’s the kicker. In the first 18 verses of chapter 3, God demonstrates how he is the source of all these things, but even so, Moses questions and argues for the rest of chapter 3 and much of chapter 4. God even does one of the rarest things in history and specifically spells out exactly how things will go, but despite every attempt at comfort and reassurance, Moses remained anxious.
   
   He had every opportunity at peace. All he had to do was accept what God was telling him and trust that God knew what He was doing, but he held onto fear, and if we’re not careful, we can do the same. The very fact that God is the source of relationship, good things, purpose, power, and authority should give us peace, knowing that we are cared for and provided for. So this week, regardless of what comes, let’s practice reminding ourselves that we serve I AM, the Generous Source of all we need.