Did You Know? (The Great I Am.)

Moses was talking to a bush. 
A bush that was on fire, actually.

Odd, we could say.

Strange man, we could say.

Gone a little soft in the noggin, we could say.

Even stranger was that the bush did not burn up. It was on fire, but not consumed.

And this man stood, speaking to it.

Upon closer look, we would see that there was something holy going on here.

Something that would have most of us either falling down in shock or turning and fleeing the scene as fast as we could. 

But not Moses. He stood and remained there talking to a bush.

Or was he? 

Or was he speaking to a loving God? A miracle-worker?

"Mary, did you know that your baby boy would one day walk on water?"

Moses conversed with God via a bush.

It had grabbed his attention, curiosity causing him to investigate this bush that didn't burn up.

A miracle, one might say.

A phenomenon, you could call it.

But when the bush spoke, Moses realized that this was no burning bush. 
This was the Lord Almighty.
This was the God who saves.

"Mary, did you know that your baby boy would save our sons and daughters?"

Moses heard a voice speak to him from the bush.

An awesome moment for him. Truly an awe-filled moment.

"I am the God of your ancestors."
~ It spoke of authority, sovereignty.

"I have seen the misery of my people."
~ It spoke of compassion.

"I am aware of their suffering."
~ It spoke of reassurance.

"I have come to rescue them."
~It spoke of hope. 

Moses had a glimpse of hope in this moment. 
His vision opened, his eyes seeing the power of God.

"Mary, did you know that your baby boy will give sight to a blind man?"

God's people were oppressed. Tortured. Hurt. Captivity bound them in chains that they could not break on their own.

Life was an endless storm of hard labour, merciless government officials, pain, and hopelessness. 

The taunts of shame, heartache, and bondage rode on the winds that nipped at their heels, day and night. 
It was a harsh storm.

"Mary, did you know that your baby boy will calm the storm with His hand?"

But in the midst of the storm, there was a promise of freedom.

"I will be with you."

Simple truth. 

I will be with you in the storm. I will be with you amongst your enemies. I will be with you in your struggles. I will be with you in your pain. I will be with you in your betrayals. I will be with you in your burdens. I will be with you in your sickness. I will be with you in your doubt. I will be with you in your misery. 

I will be with you.

"Mary, did you know that your baby boy is heaven's perfect Lamb?"

And then it happened.
Soon after Moses' talk with God in the burning bush, God did a mighty saving work. For the people of Israel at the time, He provided a way out. A saving from tyranny. Hope for the hopeless. Salvation.
He provided the blood of a lamb - a sign on the homes of the people of God - to protect them from the grip of death.

Moses didn't know it at the time, but God did a mind-blowing move of saving humanity.
Moses didn't know it at the time, but the display of love that came after the famous bush talk, was a picture of the display of love that happened many, many years later. 
Moses didn't know it at the time, but the blood of the Lamb that was coming was going to wash people clean and offer them true freedom and a hopeful eternity. 

Moses didn't know it at the time, but when God spoke those words ~

"I am the God of your ancestors ...

I have seen the misery of the people ...

I have heard their cries ...

I am aware of their sufferings ...

I will be with you,"

there was some holy, love-driven bondage-breaking going on. And not only for God's people in Moses' time. But for the whole world of people from all times.  

When Moses wondered about God's name, God's response was this:

I AM WHO I AM.

I AM THE ONE WHO ALWAYS IS.

And there you have it.

Moses, did you know?
Mary, did you know?

"Mary, did you know that the sleeping child you're holding is the Great I AM?"

This Christmas baby was no simple human child.

This Christmas baby was God Himself.

Saviour.

King.
Prince of Peace. 
Holy. 
Sovereign.
Healer.
Miracle-worker.

Storm-calmer.
Life-giver.
Hope-filler. 

The One who always was, always is, always will be. 

The Great I AM. 

Did you know?
Did you know that He is for you?
Did you know that He is greater in you than the one who is in the world?
Did you know that He is greater than the one who comes agaisnt you?
Did you know that He is power?
Did you know that He is love?
Did you know that He is forgiveness?
Did you know that He is joy?
Did you know that the sweet Christmas babe that Mary held is the great I AM?

"I AM THE ONE WHO ALWAYS IS." (Exodus 3:14, NLT)

"I am the Alpha and the Omega - the beginning and the end," says the Lord God. "I am the one who is, who always was, and who is still to come, the Almighty One." (Revelation 1:8, NLT)

The angels cry out ~ "Holy, holy, holy, is the Lord God Almighty - who always was, who is, and who is still to come!" (Revelation 4:8, NLT)