What an awesome title for a song: You Are I Am. It’s so good – almost inspired. God is the GREAT I AM. He is Lord over all of creation, history, and eternity. That’s a lot – everything there is. There is no god like Him – there is no god besides Him – He is the one and only true, living, real God of the entire universe.
The song delivers some biblical – spiritual messages. The message that hits me in the heart today speaks of the struggle we sometimes have grasping how great God’s love, mercy, forgiveness and grace are toward us as His beloved children. We sometimes turn inward, neglect to focus on God’s grace, and get bogged down in our miserable selves. We feel terrible when God’s grace is telling us to feel terrific. Read these words from the song and see if “the shoe fits wear it” applies to you.
I’ve been the one Held down in chains – Beneath the weight of all my shame.
I’ve been the one To believe – That where I am You cannot reach.
Why is it that we feel like we have to deserve God’s love? That is sooooo unbiblical! Maybe we grew up in a family where we felt like we had to earn love from mom or dad. Even if that were true it wouldn’t present a correct concept of our heavenly Father’s love toward us. The bible teaches us ever so clearly and emphatically that our salvation relationship with God is based 100% on His love and grace (= gift) as we accept it by faith.
Read Psalm 103 and listen to YOU ARE I AM by MercyMe. Then lighten up on yourself and enjoy the day in God’s loving presence.
Psalm 103
Bless the Lord, my soul,
And all that is within me, bless His holy name.
Bless the Lord, my soul,
And do not forget any of His benefits;
Who pardons all your guilt,
Who heals all your diseases;
Who redeems your life from the pit,
Who crowns you with favor and compassion;
Who satisfies your years with good things,
So that your youth is renewed like the eagle.
The Lord performs righteous deeds
And judgments for all who are oppressed.
He made known His ways to Moses,
His deeds to the sons of Israel.
The Lord is compassionate and gracious,
Slow to anger and abounding in mercy.
He will not always contend with us,
Nor will He keep His anger forever.
He has not dealt with us according to our sins,
Nor rewarded us according to our guilty deeds.
For as high as the heavens are above the earth,
So great is His mercy toward those who fear Him.
As far as the east is from the west,
So far has He removed our wrongdoings from us.
Just as a father has compassion on his children,
So the Lord has compassion on those who fear Him.
For He Himself knows our form;
He is mindful that we are nothing but dust.
As for man, his days are like grass;
Like a flower of the field, so he flourishes.
When the wind has passed over it, it is no more,
And its place no longer knows about it.
But the mercy of the Lord is from everlasting to everlasting for those who fear Him,
And His justice to the children’s children,
To those who keep His covenant
And remember His precepts, so as to do them.
The Lord has established His throne in the heavens,
And His sovereignty rules over all.
Bless the Lord, you His angels,
Mighty in strength, who perform His word,
Obeying the voice of His word!
Bless the Lord, all you His angels,
You who serve Him, doing His will.
Bless the Lord, all you works of His,
In all places of His dominion;
Bless the Lord, my soul!