“I am who I am.” There are no more important words than these spoken by God. All other words in the Bible are only important because these words are true. In Exodus 3, God manifested Himself to Moses in a burning bush, so He could manifest Himself through Moses as a deliverer for His people. Because Moses’ authority was wrapped up in the God who commissioned him, he asked for His name to capture the essence of God’s character and being. In reply, God said, “‘I am who I am.’ And he said, ‘Say this to the people of Israel: “I am has sent me to you.”’ God also said to Moses, ‘Say this to the people of Israel: “The Lord, the God of your fathers … has sent me to you.”’ This is my name forever, and thus I am to be remembered throughout all generations” (Exodus 3:14-15, ESV). “I am” (Yahweh, Jehovah) is written in English translations as “Lord.” It is God’s personal, self-identifying name. It speaks of Him as self-existent, unlimited, unchanging, and ever-living. Note these distinguishing characteristics of God’s name: God is. The name “I am” makes the most important statement about God: He exists. It is a revelation of God’s complete…

Unfinished: Thoughts Left Visible was an art exhibition that displayed 197 works from the Renaissance period to present day. The exhibit addressed the question of when a work of art is finished. On display were art pieces in various stages of completion leaving behind traces of the artistic process. The “artwork in progress” reminds us of these three attributes of a masterpiece: A masterpiece takes time. Alice Neel met James Hunter by chance and asked him to sit for a portrait. The young man had just been drafted for the Vietnam War and was scheduled to leave within a week. Following her usual practice, Neel started to outline the body directly on the canvas and then filled in parts of the head and hands. When Hunter did not return for their second sitting, Neel declared the work complete in its unfinished state by signing it on the back. The key to creating a masterpiece is to be committed to the process. Every day we return to sit in the presence of the Master allowing Him access to our imperfections and flaws. Some days are painted with strokes of genius. Others may seem random, insignificant, or terribly wrong. Rather than run…

Gratitude is the gateway to the miraculous. We can learn to give thanks before our miracle by applying the lessons in thanksgiving modeled by Jesus. Thank God for Providing “He took the seven loaves and the fish, and having given thanks he broke them and gave them to the disciples, and the disciples gave them to the crowds” (Matthew 15:36, ESV). Jesus and the disciples were confronted with an overwhelming need. Both Matthew and Mark describe two different feedings of the multitude who had followed them for an extended length of time with no access to food. Jesus was conscious of the need and already had a supernatural solution in mind, but He called his disciples to action. Jesus said, “You give them something to eat.” Needs reveal the true object of our trust. Where do we turn for help in a crisis? Do we cry out to the Lord, or do we look for our own solutions? Jesus was testing His disciples to see where they would go when confronted with a need so great that no human plan would work. Acknowledging The Provider is a seed for a miracle. When we realize “What I can do is insufficient and…

Conflict, fighting, division, harsh words—reveal something deeper than personality differences or circumstances. Scripture reminds us that unrest is evidence of a heart out of step with God. A broken world is watching closely, longing to see a different way of living. God calls His people to be that witness to embody harmony, humility, and peace in a divided age. Peacemaking does not come naturally. It is a spiritual discipline, formed as we walk daily with Christ. As we submit our hearts to Him, He trains us to reflect His peace in our homes, churches, workplaces, and communities. Consider these four principles for growing as a peacemaker. Peacemakers Love Like God Am I motivated by love? James offers a searching question: “What causes quarrels and what causes fights among you? Is it not this, that your passions are at war within you?” (James 4:1, ESV) Conflict always begins in the heart. Before we attempt to resolve outward tension, we must first examine our inward posture toward God. Jesus made it unmistakably clear that love is the greatest commandment—and that love for God cannot be separated from love for others (Matthew 22:36–40). Only the love of God, actively shaping our hearts, can…