Yahweh (The Existing One)

“Be silent, and know that I am God! I will be honored by every nation. I will be honored throughout the world.” The Lord Almighty is here among us; the God of Israel is our fortress. Psalm 46:10-11

Think of a circle. Imagine that that circle represents everything – absolutely everything. It represents all space both explored and unexplored. It represents all matter and energy. It represents everything. There is nothing outside of the circle because the circle IS everything. Now–what would happen if everything inside that circle would disappear? Let’s say that it happened in 1994. What would you have in 1995 (assuming that time still exists independently of the universe)? Nothing. What would you have 200 years later? Nothing. It would not matter how much time passed. If there is nothing inside and nothing outside the set, nothing would ever happen, right?

I know – it seems obvious. But the implications are astonishing. It means that there has always, for all time and eternity past, been something. There has never been even a moment when there was absolutely nothing because if there was, nothing would have ever happened!

Atheists and Christians both agree on this matter. The difference is in what they believe that eternal existent was. Atheists believe that it was matter or energy (the two, after all, are nearly synonymous). But there is a big problem with that. Everyone knows that the universe has not always existed! It had a definite beginning. Atheists choose to call it the Big Bang. Christians choose to call it Creation. Atheists believe that a quantum vibration in the vacuum brought it about. Christians believe it was the hovering of the Holy Spirit over the great void. Actually in Hebrew, the word is vibrate so by all accounts it began with a vibration!

In the midst of all this Yahweh tries to get a word in edgewise. When asked to identify Himself to Moses, He gives the deceptively simple name “I AM.” Yahweh is ever-present one, the Prime Cause, the First and the Last, the Everlasting Creator, the source of Life. He is the only one who can truly say at all times “I AM.” You see, to God there is no time. He is beyond time. He sees the future and the past as one single point.

There are quite a few ways we could explore this strange feature of God. I would like to pursue one. We humans have a tendency to live anywhere but in the present. We dwell on the past or we worry about the future. We reminisce about the “good old days” or we can’t wait for the future. But Jesus said, “So don’t worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will bring its own worries. Today’s trouble is enough for today.” (Matthew 6:34). Imitate God. Set aside what’s happened to you. Quit worrying about what might. Try to experience the presence of God in the now.