“I AM HE”

“I AM He; I AM the First, and I AM the Last. My hand laid the foundation of the earth and My right hand spread out the heavens; when I call to them, they stand forth together” (Isaiah 48:12-13). As I pondered this scripture, I became even more awed by our Creator’s power, His strength, and His spoken Word.

“Whatever the Lord pleases, He does, in heaven and on earth, in the seas and all deeps” (Psalm 135:6). For He established His throne in the heavens, and His kingdom rules over all (Psalm 104:19). He says, “Behold, I AM the Lord, the God of all flesh. Is anything too hard for Me? (Jeremiah 32:27 ESV).

“Oh, the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are His judgments and how inscrutable His ways! ‘For who has known the mind of the Lord, or who has been His counselor? Or who has given a gift to Him that He might be repaid?’ “From Him and through Him and to Him are all things” (Romans 11:33-36 ESV).

We are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them (Ephesians 2:10). We are the clay and He is the Potter. All of us are the work of His hand (Isaiah 64:8). And because of that truth we can trust Him and not be anxious about what we will eat or drink or wear because our heavenly Father knows that we need those things. Instead, we are to seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness and all these things will be added to us (Matthew 6:31-33).

When my husband and I began, what has now become a ten-year journey with cancer, we were terrified and had many questions. “Is God really a good God?” “God, are you there?” “God — why?” Our hearts were broken, and we quickly realized that if my husband was going to do well in this battle, that we would need to join forces in believing God’s Word and not doubt Him.

Doubt is a dangerous and deadly weapon that Satan uses to discourage and challenge the goodness of God. He cleverly sabotaged the minds of Adam and Eve by injecting doubt that God is good and faithful. And it was that doubt that brought about their downfall, their destruction, and the destruction of mankind.

Doubt comes when we do not understand the nature of God. How can we believe God, if we do not understand the goodness and holiness of God? That was why He sent His Son, Jesus Christ to this earth. He wanted us to see firsthand His character and what He was willing to sacrifice so that we could have eternal life with Him.

The following list touches on a few of the many attributes of God:

—God is three Persons in one:  FATHER, SON, and HOLY SPIRIT. “For there are three that bear witness in heaven: The Father, the Word (Jesus), and the Holy Spirit; and these three are one. And there are three that bear witness on earth: The Spirit, the water, and the blood; and these three agree as one” (I John 5:7-8 NKJV).

—God’s holiness: God is separate from sin and incorruptible. “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord Almighty; the whole earth is full of His glory (Isaiah 6:3).

—God’s immutability: He cannot change. He is the “Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows (James 1:17). We may change but God never changes.

—God’s Omniscience: God know everything. He knows the thoughts we think before we think them. “Even before a word is on my tongue, behold, O LORD, you know it altogether” (Psalm 139:4).

—God’s Omnipotence: He has unlimited power. “Even from eternity I am He, and there is none who can deliver out of My hand; I act and who can reverse it?” (Isaiah 43:13). “With people this is impossible, but with God all things are possible” (Matthew 19:26).

—God’s Omnipresence: His presence is everywhere at all times. “Am I a God near at hand, say the Lord, “And not a God afar off? Can anyone hide himself in secret places, so I shall not see him?” say the Lord. “Do I not fill heaven and earth?” says the Lord (Jeremiah 23:23-24).

—God’s sovereignty: He is the creator and supreme ruler of the heavens and the earth and has authority over all things. “Our God is in the heavens; He does all that He pleases (Psalm 115:3).

—God’s righteousness: “For He hath made Him [to be] sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in Him (2 Corinthians 5:21).

—God’s love: “For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believe in Him shall not perish but have eternal life” (John 3:16 NIV).

—God’s goodness: For everything created by God is good, and nothing is to be rejected if it is received in gratitude, because it is consecrated by the Word of God and prayer (I Timothy 4:4-5). “Like newborn babies, crave pure spiritual milk, so that by it, you may grow up in your salvation, now that you have tasted that the Lord is good” (I Peter 2:2-3).

—God’s forgiveness: When we repent, God says, “I, even I, am He who blots out your transgressions, for My own sake, and remembers your sins no more” (Isaiah 43:25).

—God is jealous: “Do not worship any other god, for the Lord, whose name is Jealous is a jealous God” (Exodus 34:14 NIV). “Love not the world, neither the things in the world” (1 John 2:15).

—God’s wrath: “Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life; whoever does not obey the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God remains on him” (John 3:36).

Over the 48 years that I have been on this remarkable journey with God, I have found Him to be all these attributes and so much more. But the most surprising attribute that I discovered early in my walk was that He is not distant. Just as He daily walked in the Garden with Adam and Eve, He longs to fellowship with us each day.

God cares about everything that we care about. What is important to us is important to Him. He is a personal, loving God who walks with us every part of our day, every day…even when we are ignoring Him.

We must never forget how much He loves us, even when things are going wrong and our world is turned upside down. Only God can redeem any and all things. For truly He makes all things work together for good for those who love Him and are called according to His purposes (Romans 8:28).

PRAYER: FATHER, Your Word says that You look down from heaven on all mankind to see if there is any who understand, any who seek You (Psalm 14:2). Help me to seek You with all my heart that I may understand and confidently trust in Your care and plans for me. In Jesus’ name, amen.