“Whom are you seeking?They answered Him, “Jesus the Nazarene.” He said to them, “I am He.” And Judas also, who was betraying Him, was standing with them. Now then, when He said to them, “I am He,” they drew back and fell to the ground.”
John 18:4-6 (NASB)
Judas betrayed Jesus and led the soldiers to arrest Him in the garden, but only John’s gospel shared an unusual occurrence during that arrest.
As the group of soldiers were asking for Jesus of Nazareth, Jesus answered, “I am He”, and the men instantly fell backward to the ground. It’s curious how the men all fell backward when Jesus said, “ I am.”The power flowing from His presence in those words, caused their knees to buckle and they collapsed.
There is a deep meaning in those words. “I AM” is a divine phrase, which has history going back to the first Exodus. Jesus also said it at another time in His ministry.
He said it to the Pharisees when they questioned how He could have ever known Abraham, who lived two thousand years before Him.
Jesus answered, “Before Abraham was, I AM.”
When Moses heard God speaking to him through a burning bush, God identified Himself as “I AM that I am”.
Those awesome words filled Moses with a reverent fear, but God told him to go tell Pharaoh, “I AM has sent me.” The great I AM, the Lord, always ends doubts, gives courage, and teaches us that His Presence is a mighty and powerful one. It is that same presence that dwelt in Jesus, even in His humanity.
Jesus is perpetually with us, even when everything seems messed up, falling apart, full of doubt, or when we are overwhelmed with fear.
He is the great I AM, who makes Himself known, whispering to our hearts, saying “I AM still here.” He meets us in any situation, and invites us to let go and just fall into His arms. To fall into His arms is to fall into His mercy. Even in our darkest night in the garden, when we are asking “Are you even here?” He answers us “ I AM”.
Jesus can identify with us in the night of our doubts and questions, because He too, was once alone, betrayed, and full of questions.
Whatever the condition is of our mind or our spirit, Jesus is speaking to us saying “ I AM right here, I know how you feel, and I will never forsake you.” His power is flowing towards us, so we can let our knees buckle and fall back into His loving arms.
Jesus, we surrender all the messy, confusing situations of our lives to you. We trust you to take charge of everything as we let go and fall into your loving and merciful arms today. Amen