There is more than this

I remember a day at school, when I was nearly eight. The teacher announced she was going to tell the class a story. But when she said it was a story from the Bible, I was disappointed. “I’ve heard all the Bible stories before in Sunday School” I thought. However I was really amazed when she went on to tell a story that I had never heard (I think it was the Gadarene demoniac and the herd of pigs). Don’t laugh, but at the age of 8, I really did think I knew the Bible already and it was quite a revelation to find I did not!

Could it be possible that you and I think like that as adults today? In today’s verse, God reveals himself to Moses and the Israelites by his name the LORD and says that he did not make this aspect of himself known to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. They were great men, but they didn’t know this about the Lord.

Just think - Abraham was called the friend of God (Isaiah 41:8, James 2:23), and received incredible promises and blessings. He became the father of all who put their trust in God (Romans 4:16), but despite all this, even Abraham didn’t know everything there was to know about God. A person could be a wonderful believer with a holy life, close to God, a leader, yet still have much to discover about Him that they don’t yet know.

For most of us, there must be many exciting things yet to find but strangely enough, we tend to live our lives as if our existing experience and awareness of God is not likely to change. Revelation of something new comes like an amazing shaft of light. We realise - what I have known up until now was not the full reality and what I’m discovering is very good! Do you remember the last time that happened to you? Wasn’t it good!

The aspect of Himself that God shared with Moses was in that name the LORD, which comes from the word “I am”. God summed it up as “I am who I am”. It means a lot, including that God does not change. If He makes a promise then it will be fulfilled. He had made promises to Abraham and He was declaring this aspect of himself to Moses because He was about to fulfil the promises. He was revealing something about Himself - when I promise something, it will happen. The reason is this - because I am, I am reality, I make what I promised into something real; I bring it into existence, I give it being.

We need God to reveal things to us, too. For example, there are certain things we know about God, but we only know them in our head, not our heart. Are you aware of any of those in your life? What aspects of God’s nature would you like to know in your experience; in your heart, not just your head? If you have thought of something, why not ask Him to reveal that to you? He is a God who wants you to know the real Him and He answers your prayers.

Prayer: Heavenly Father, there are some things I know about You, which are more theory than practice in my life. Especially this (tell him what it is)...... Father, please would You reveal more of Your reality to me, especially in this area that I have just mentioned. Thank You so much. Amen.