I AM (3-23-10)

John 8:24
“For if you do not believe that I AM, you will die in your sins.”
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When Moses encountered God for the first time through a burning bush, God introduced Himself as “I AM”. And in today’s Gospel, Jesus repeat this phrase “I AM”. He is communicating to them that he is the same I AM that Moses met at the burning bush which commissioned him.

He likened His death to what happened centuries ago in the time of Moses. When the nation of Israel was invaded by fiery serpents, God told Moses to raise a brass serpent on a pole. Everyone that looked at the serpent lifted up on the pole was healed.

And people once gain believed that God is alive.

And in the new testament, it was Jesus who was lifted up. He was crucified, suffered and died so our sins may be forgiven. Jesus had to be lifted up on the cross so that he could heal us of our sins.

Just as the brass serpent was raised on the pole for the healing of Israel, so Jesus was raised on the cross for the healing of the world.

Over the years, God has shown us time after time how He has His hand on us: whether it was his protecting hand, his healing hand, or his strengthening hand. We must always walk in faith. We have seen God perform his wonders in our life so many times, that we learn to trust him along the way.

In this season of Lent, let our hearts accept Jesus as our Lord and Savior. And as the Father has sent Him, He is sending us to share His love to the rest of the world.

Let us pray +

Lord Jesus, when I look at You on that cross, may I be like Nicodemus in understanding and believing You. You were lifted up on that cross for us. You were lifted up on that cross to heal us from all our sins. We believe in You for You alone is the Lord, our salvation, the giver of eternal life.

O Lord, hear my prayer, and let my cry come to you.