NO PUN INTENDED 

By Kyle Fox

After these things the word of the Lord came to Abram in a vision, saying "Do not be afraid, Abram. I am your shield, your exceedingly great reward." Genesis 15:1

I couldn’t believe it was that time of year again. “We’re excited to invite you to write for our 2021 churchwide devotional!” the email read. I quickly committed and continued scrolling through Tuesday morning’s inbox. I usually hear from the Lord pretty quickly on what to write for these. In this case, I was bombarded with insecurity from the moment I gave it my attention. I thought: Who am I to write on the principle of first mention? What if it’s not as good as last year’s devotion? Or worse, what if I inadvertently contradict a theological truth Pastor Robert teaches the same weekend the whole church reads it?! 

Lies like this don’t trickle in; they come in like a flood. My wife calls it “cir- cling the drain.” If it were a sport, I’d have a trophy. With doubt spinning in my heart, the Lord whispered, “Would you like to hear what I have to say?” I don’t know about you, but sometimes I am slow to remember He has been faithful to speak countless times. In the simple, in the significant, and in everything in between. 

“I am enough.” He continued. 

I laughed thinking, No pun intended, right? because I was supposed to write about the first mention of the phrase “I am.” But, I think His word choice was rather intentional, and the Lord has a sense of humor to bring comfort and levity to our feelings of lack. 

“I am your source of identity and confidence, Kyle, not your work,” He said.

I’ve had seasons in my life of both high self-esteem and low self-esteem. The problem with each extreme is the common thread: me. Both extremes are self-focused, not God-focused.

Writing a devotion might seem minuscule, especially compared to what Abram had going on or something you’re facing, but the point remains the same. God wants to tell us who He is, no matter what we’re up against. When we get out of our own heads, we learn He is the “I am” for every single thing—big or small—that comes our way. 

Do you need to be encouraged? Search for and study the instances where God says “I am” in the Bible. When we seek a remedy to our circumstance, the Lord graciously responds by reminding us, "I am." 

Prayer

Lord, I take this moment to pause and reflect on who You tell us You are. You are the bread of life and our Good Shepherd, shield, and exceedingly great reward. Today I choose to remember You are the first and the last, the true vine, the way, the truth, and the life. Thank You for Your steadfast, unchanging character in this ever-changing world. I put my trust in the Great I Am. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Memory Verse

For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart. Hebrews 4:12 (NIV)