I Am Who Am
                 God's name and significance

Labeling God

     In bible study this week, we were discussing Moses and his encounter with God in the burning bush.  When Moses asks God how he should introduce Him to the Israelite people, God says, "I am who am."  Which, in the words of Fr. Barron, "Tells Moses absolutely nothing.  It was like saying 'stop asking stupid questions. My name isn't important in this situation.'"  God isn't this or that. He isn't bigger than anything we can think of, or stronger, or smarter.  He isn't bound by our human system of superlatives.
     He....is.

Labeling
     When you know someones name, you have a sort of control over them.  You can find their phone number in the phone book, you can look them up online, you can even stalk them on Facebook (you know you do it.).
     When you can label something, and put a name on it, it is easy to stick it in a corner and forget about it.  Pause.  Rewind.  When we knew who God was when He came down to earth, Jesus, we were able to label him and stick him on a Cross.

God conquers labels     That is where the amazing mystery of the 100% divinity and 100% human nature comes in to play.  Because Christ was able to conquer death on the cross and rise from the dead (see post I am who I am because of the Resurrection) and also conquered any label we can put on God.
Grasping at God     When we think about all of this too much we find ourselves grasping at God, similarly to Adam and Eve eating the fruit so that they could become like God.  We can't grasp at God mentally or physically - His ways are beyond our ways and His thoughts beyond our thoughts.  When we stop trying to grasp at and label God, we find we have to time to fall in love with our Creator, which is what we were made to do anyway!
Any thoughts?  Let me know in the comment box below - it always makes my day hearing from my readers!

God Bless you all,

Chloe M.