Twenty-second Sunday after Pentecost (Proper 27) – November 9, 2025
“God said to Moses, ‘I AM WHO I AM.’”
- Exodus 3:14a -

Names mean something, particularly in the Bible. God often changed the name of His people to mean something different. Abram became Abraham. Sarai became Sarah. Simon became Peter. Jacob became Israel. These new names defined a change in their relationship with God. The name changes defined their character in light of God’s mercy and grace.  
Think about the people you encounter on a daily basis. You know the names of the people who mean the most to you. You might have a pleasant moment with a stranger in the grocery store, but you won’t remember them for long. If you run into someone whose name you know, you’ll likely have a conversation that builds your relationship. It is no surprise, then, that we have stories of people in the scriptures who want to know the name of God. When God changed Jacob’s name to Israel, Jacob asked God’s name. Jacob wanted to build that relationship with Him. So did Moses. He wanted to be able to identify the source of the promised deliverance to the Hebrews.
God does not mind our curiosity. He is given many names throughout the scriptures. His names define His character. His names help us to understand Him. His names indicate the things that He does for His people, with His people and through His people.  Each name identifies just one aspect of God. Each name gives us just one piece to the puzzle, one glimpse into His nature and purpose. But God does not have a name like you and me. He does not have a name we can know or speak like our neighbors and friends. God answered Moses, “I AM WHO I AM.” He is who He is. He will be who He will be. God’s divine name, Yahweh, is an identity without any limitations of time or space. It is only by the grace of a God who is beyond our human understanding that we could ever receive His promises. 

Twenty-second Sunday after Pentecost (Proper 27) – November 9, 2025
“God said to Moses, ‘I AM WHO I AM.’”
- Exodus 3:14a -

Names mean something, particularly in the Bible. God often changed the name of His people to mean something different. Abram became Abraham. Sarai became Sarah. Simon became Peter. Jacob became Israel. These new names defined a change in their relationship with God. The name changes defined their character in light of God’s mercy and grace.  
Think about the people you encounter on a daily basis. You know the names of the people who mean the most to you. You might have a pleasant moment with a stranger in the grocery store, but you won’t remember them for long. If you run into someone whose name you know, you’ll likely have a conversation that builds your relationship. It is no surprise, then, that we have stories of people in the scriptures who want to know the name of God. When God changed Jacob’s name to Israel, Jacob asked God’s name. Jacob wanted to build that relationship with Him. So did Moses. He wanted to be able to identify the source of the promised deliverance to the Hebrews.
God does not mind our curiosity. He is given many names throughout the scriptures. His names define His character. His names help us to understand Him. His names indicate the things that He does for His people, with His people and through His people.  Each name identifies just one aspect of God. Each name gives us just one piece to the puzzle, one glimpse into His nature and purpose. But God does not have a name like you and me. He does not have a name we can know or speak like our neighbors and friends. God answered Moses, “I AM WHO I AM.” He is who He is. He will be who He will be. God’s divine name, Yahweh, is an identity without any limitations of time or space. It is only by the grace of a God who is beyond our human understanding that we could ever receive His promises.