I had just put Josiah, my 3-year-old to bed and then went to bed myself. It was week 2 of the quarantine and so many thoughts were racing through my mind. Josiah was not feeling well. My mom was coughing, I was watching the news, the death toll was rising, and my heart just broke. On top of that, I broke out in hives and was having difficulty falling asleep. Then, I heard the sound of little footsteps coming my way. It was my 3-year-old. As he was climbing in my bed, he said so clearly, “Don’t Be Afraid, I AM here!” then laid down next to me and fell asleep. Those words struck me: how did my son know the thoughts that were plaguing my mind? Right then, I knew, the Lord was speaking to my heart.
“Don’t Be Afraid; I AM here!” The command to not fear or to not be afraid is repeated over and over in the Bible. As humans, we fear the dark, we fear the unknown, we fear death, we fear being alone, we fear animals, insects, and we even fear people. So, how in the world could we obey this command that is repeated over and over in the Bible? The key is found in what my 3-year-old said after he told me to not be afraid. He said, “I AM here.” Of course, with all the fears I was battling that night, my little boy was not able to rescue me. But I was reminded of a powerful truth: when I AM is here, there is no need to fear.
The first time the name “I AM” came on the scene was in Genesis 15:1 when the Lord appeared to Abram in a vision and said, “Do not be afraid, Abram. I am your shield.” The Lord was revealing himself to Abram as his protector, so when fear arose, Abram could take shelter in I AM who is his shield.
Another example in the bible is the call of Moses. In Exodus 3 while he was tending the sheep in the wilderness, he came upon the presence of God in a burning bush. God called out to Moses and sent him to free his people. Moses responded in verse 11, “But why me? What makes you think that I could ever go to Pharaoh and lead the children of Israel out of Egypt?” We immediately look at what we lack and what we are incapable of (doubt and fear), but God challenges those fears. The Lord responded with, “BUT I will be with you.” Still, Moses didn’t get it. It wasn’t enough for him to know he wasn’t going alone. He wanted to know who was going with him. In verses 13-14, Moses said to God, “Suppose I go to the People of Israel and I tell them, ‘The God of your fathers sent me to you’; and they ask me, ‘What is his name?’ What do I tell them?”
God said to Moses, “I-AM-WHO-I-AM. Tell the People of Israel, ‘I-AM sent me to you.’” Mic Drop!
Then at the end of verse 15, God says, “This has always been my name, and this is how I always will be known.” In the last book of the Bible, the Lord says, “I AM the Alpha and the Omega, the first and the Last, the Beginning and the End” (Revelations 22:13). So, from the first book of the Bible to the last, we learn over and over that no matter what happens in this life we can trust in I AM.
Throughout the Scriptures, God reveals Himself and who He is to us. We see men and women go through trial, famine, sickness, loss, pain, and much hardship. How did they get through? How did they push past their fears? How could they still praise God?
When I look at my own life, I think back to some very difficult moments and each time I AM gave me the strength to get through. Each time, I AM gave me hope. Each time I AM was with me. Psalm 9:10 says, “And those who know your name put their trust in you, for you, O Lord, have not forsaken those who seek you.”
I encourage you, during this time of unknown and uncertainty get to know who God is! As you seek to discover who He is you will come to the conclusion that no matter what happens in this life, He is a God that can be trusted. Instead of looking at what you can or cannot do, or even looking around you to what someone else can do, look up! Reflect daily on the nature of God and remind yourself I AM is here!
Practical Resource:
Use this link to access the One Thing Packet, a great tool to use in your daily time with the Lord!