If God Is "I AM", then Who Am I? - Introduction

Finger pointing¾we all do it. Americans, Norwegians, Japanese, Aussies, and Peruvians practice the art. So did the ancients of Sumer, Assyria, Babylon, Persia, Greece, and Rome. Young and old, rich and poor, healthy and ill, male and female, all with the index finger of their dominant hand outstretched. Sometimes it is an accusatory finger. More often it seeks to instruct or direct. Regardless, the focus is always on something out there. The extended second digit is the universal sign of a mind in telescopic mode.


Self-reflection¾we all need it. And, to some extent, we all do it. The recent popularity of self-help books is evidence. To seek help we must first recognize our need of help, and this requires introspection and self-analysis. We gaze into the mirror of our lives, determine if we like what we see, then take steps to correct any distortions in the image before us. This is the mind in endoscopic mode, index finger flexed and at rest.

Finger pointing is more fun than self-reflection. This explains why we tend to practice the former so much more. To honestly evaluate ourselves is not a pleasant task, quite often a painful one. To lessen the pain, we are inclined to rationalize our weaknesses by comparing ourselves to others. Thus, if we are not careful, self-analysis can lead us right back to finger pointing. We never get around to looking exclusively inward. Almost everyone agrees this is not healthy for us. We have heard since junior high that the unexamined life is not worth living. We know our minds should be endoscopes more than telescopes. We think it no accident when our index finger is extended that three others are flexed and pointed back to the heart.

When I say that finger pointing, in comparison to self-reflection, is over-used, I am not implying that it is always bad. In fact, we use it for good every day. The teacher pointing to her notes on the classroom board and the garage attendant giving directions to a local destination are just two of many examples. Another is the theologian who, by pointing at the universe, tries to relay to us the existence and nature of God. His ultimate goal for us is self-reflection—a transformation of the heart and an inward embrace of God. But, with this end in mind, the first thing the theologian asks of us is to look out there at the universe. This is why the first verse of the Bible is a finger-pointing verse. Theology, ironically, begins in telescopic mode.

As we begin the third leg of our religious journey, we stand at that point where our theological focus turns inward. We have discussed both the existence and nature of God; now we must explore the nature of humanity. We must honestly assess who we are, what we are doing, and where we are going. Rest assured, we will not abandon nor forget what we have previously learned. Indeed, we will rely on the same five arguments to enlighten us. This time, however, we will use them not only to point us to God. We will also use them to turn the spotlight upon our own hearts and souls. As we do, we will correct the imbalance in our perspective by spending time in personal endoscopy. We will temporarily rest our index fingers and explore the depths of our being. The only finger pointing allowed will be into the mirror. We will stand face to face with our very selves, stripped of all that would hinder our introspection, refusing to let education, wealth, status, health, or lack thereof, shield us from the truth. Naked will our hearts be before the God who fashioned them. Then, and only then, can this book begin to achieve its intended purpose.

We will spend the majority of our time standing before the mirror in self-analysis and self-discovery, sometimes troubled but just as often uplifted by what we see. Toward the end, we will turn our attention to some people in the Bible and see if their lives can speak a message we need to hear. Along the way, the readers of volumes one and two will discover a familiar format. Other than the addition of self-reflection questions, the basic structure remains the same.

Readers of my books on the existence and nature of God will recognize that this is the simplest of the three volumes. There is good reason. To explain why I believe in God’s existence, I had to relay a great deal of information unfamiliar to many of my readers. This, of necessity, increased that book's complexity. The subject matter of the second volume, God’s nature, was much broader in scope and included a rehash of the arguments of book one. And, for reasons stated in its afterword, any discussion of God's nature requires the use of extensive analogy and metaphor. All of this served to make that volume somewhat cumbersome as well. In contrast, the subject matter within these covers requires little, if any, background information. If you and I know anything at all, we know what it is like to be human. We all belong to the same species. We are at once singing off the same page. For this reason, my task in this book is much more to remind than to instruct. This, not the relative importance of the message, accounts for its simplicity.

My appeal to you, then, is to join me for some remedial work. My goal is to allure you from your finger-pointing endeavors and convince you to focus on yourself. Sadly, many of you spend so much time in telescopic mode that you have lost touch with your own soul. There is no richness to your faith because you have taken your eyes off the treasure within you. Wondering about the other person, you have lost the sense of wonder in your own life. In all honesty, it may have been years since last you stood in the spotlight of the Spirit of God.

Join me as I guide you back to that Source to discover anew who you really are. Every one of you is eligible to come along. This includes pregnant women, small children, the elderly, and those with back and neck injuries. Please strap yourself in securely, for the journey at times may be bumpy. Be warned that any worldly possessions considered valuable are at risk of being lost. No ticket of admission is needed. All that is required of you is an honest and open heart, ready to listen and obey. What better time than now to seek His opinion?

One thing more before we proceed. Please heed the sign posted above the door of your heart: NO TELESCOPES ALLOWED BEYOND THIS POINT.