I Am Not, But HE Is

"I Am."

It is such a simple and profound and mind-boggling truth: literally everything in our world will change or fade away except our God. Only He is ever-present and ever-unchanging. The world’s ideas about Him have changed throughout the ages, and our relationship with Him might grow and evolve as we ourselves grow and change, but He remains the one, single, constant, fully present presence in the universe.

Our God, our creator, who knows us better than we know ourselves, is the same God who knew and loved us when we could barely toddle or babble a word. He was no different in the Ice Age and the Stone Age and the Medieval Period and the Victorian Era than He is now—and He will be no different in ages we have yet to fathom.

“I Am” of ages past reaches through the cosmos of the distant past, millions of light-years away, to fill our night sky tonight in the present. “I Am” is stamped on the oldest and newest layers of ancient coral reefs. His presence bounces off soaring mountains and echoes within hidden caves tucked between narrow canyons. “I Am” whispers from every petal of every flower, every leaf that shivers in a gust of wind, every cloud and sunset and grain of sand. At this very moment, “I Am” is present in over 200,000 tabernacles across the globe, and shines forth from every unique and unrepeatable face of the seven billion human souls He has gifted with life.

As hard as this is to wrap our brains around, it can also bring immense comfort: He IS every good and true and righteous and beautiful thing that exists now, that has ever existed. If we want to know what real love is, He says, "I Am." If we want to know what Beauty or Truth are, He says, “I Am.” If we want to know what friendship and sacrifice and joy and healing and acceptance and fulfillment and life are, He answers to each:

"I Am."

And even more of a comfort—for everything that we are not, He Is.

If we are not wise enough: He is.

If we are not patient enough: He is.

When we are not forgiving enough: He is.

When we are not loving enough: He is.

When we are not persistent enough: He is.

And when, from the depths of our souls, in the aching moments when we cry out, "I cannot do this anymore, God! I am not strong enough!"

He answers gently:

"Daughter. I Am."

Let us allow ourselves to rest fully today in the presence of our most constant companion: the God of the past, present, and future, the Father who desires to make each and every one of our moments His.

Megan Hjelmstad is a wife, mom, writer and sometimes soldier whose real passion is equal parts faith and chocolate. You can find out more about her here.