Among the possible interpretation of the phrase "I am who I am" is "I am the one who is", meaning "I am the one who is present", not as a bystander, but powerfully present, that is, present and active to save you. Indeed God kept His promise to Moses and led His people out of Egypt, from captivity to freedom and prosperity.

But this did not mean that Israel was totally free of afflictions and oppression. Often in its history the nation continued to experience the burdens and sufferings of wars, internal conflicts and captivity in exile. During the time of Jesus these burdens took the form of laws, that valued the people by what they did or did not do. Such a situation of valuing others by external act alone brought much pain and suffering. Hence, Jesus' call was a call to change the attitude of labelling people by our own self-righteous values and to see the presence of God even in the woundedness of a person and thus given an encouraging word or hand!

Indeed, Jesus did not merely stand aside and allow us to experience the burdens and trials of life alone. He is actively present to us, lending us His strength as we go through the experiences of daily living.