I Am

I Am, Day 2

I Am. What a short statement. Yesterday, we meditated on the statement. Was it easy to meditate on those words?

I looked up the book of Job. In the third chapter, Job is distressed and his friends are trying to help him while he is pleading his case with God. The statement "I am" was used often in a mix of other statements of self pity. This went on several chapters, I read through chapter 14 and decided that I wasn't going to be able to include it all in the devotional for today. If you want to read a great example of self-pity and "I am" flesh statements, start in Job Chapter 3.

Today, we need to focus on some I am statements that we tend to say over and over again and start to believe ourselves. By doing this, my hopes are to contrast our statements with God's Word. Let's see what can be done.

Here are some statements that are often thought or said throughout our lives (feel free to add to the list if you would like). Next to the flesh statements are a few statements from His word. See what it is that makes him the I Am.

I am tired - Isaiah 40:28 ...He will not grow tired or weary, and his understanding no one can fathom.

I am not good enough

I am thankful

I am ugly

I am fat

I am short

I am anxious - Phillipians 4:6 Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.

I am too tall

I am in control

I am a parent

I am a sibling

I am someone's child

I am a friend

I am an enemy

I am not perfect

I am afraid - Exodus 20:20 Moses said to the people, "Do not be afraid. God has come to test you, so that the fear of God will be with you to keep you from sinning."

I am sick

I am a slave

I am a spouse

I am a Christian

I am not worthy

I am forgiven

I am hungry John 6:48 I am the bread of life.

I am faithful

I am righteous

I am strong

I am well

I am me

I am not adequate enough

I am guilty

I am innocent

I am a child of God

There are many more statements like these that we use everyday. Which ones are healthy, which ones are not. Is it important that we look at ourselves only for the good, or is it okay to occasionally analyze ourselves so that we can become better. God should be the one we share these thoughts with and ask him for his thoughts on these statements. Ask Him to help us see ourselves as he sees us. Again, in the portion of Job that I read, he begins to assume what God thinks about him. Do we do that sometimes? Here are a few more statements from God's Word. Would you share with us a verse that helps you with your most common I am statement. Please do share.

Revelation 22:13 I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End.

Isaiah 48:12 "Listen to me, O Jacob, Israel, whom I have called: I am he; I am the first and I am the last.

John 14:20 On that day you will realize that I am in my Father, and you are in me, and I am in you.

Leviticus 11:45 I am the LORD who brought you up out of Egypt to be your God; therefore be holy, because I am holy.

Isaiah 44:6 "This is what the LORD says- Israel's King and Redeemer, the LORD Almighty: I am the first and I am the last; apart from me there is no God.

Isaiah 41:10 So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.

Isaiah 46:4 Even to your old age and gray hairs I am he, I am he who will sustain you. I have made you and I will carry you; I will sustain you and I will rescue you.

John 9:5 While I am in the world, I am the light of the world."

Exodus 29:46 They will know that I am the LORD their God, who brought them out of Egypt so that I might dwell among them. I am the LORD their God.

Dear Lord, I pray that we will turn our focus off the I and to the I Am, which is you. I pray that when we are having issues, that we would seek you. Lord, I pray that we would have many people in our lives to help us with our struggles. But even then, just like in the chapters from Job, our friends have their own perception and history that may not always be the answer for us. So help us to seek you above all others. I am so thankful for you and your love. Amen.