Can a woman forget her nursing child,that she should have no compassion on the son of her womb?Even these may forget,yet I will not forget you. Behold, I have engraved you on the palms of my hands... Isaiah 49:15-16
In this passage, God tells his people he will never forget them. Listen to the visual language the Lord uses to describe his faithfulness. He is like a mother with her nursing baby. How many new moms forget their kid? Some, but the Lord's remembrance is even stronger than a new mother's. Even though a mom may forget her child, he will not forget his own. He engraved their names into his very flesh. That is a powerful statement!! Look at your hands, anything engraved there? If there was, would you be aware of that thing often, every time you glanced at your hands? Yes. Would it be a frivolous phrase or something precious? Something dear. Our names rest in the palms of his hands. Not written and washed away, no etched into his palm. And even if it wasn't, he would never forget his people.
His love never leaves me. He is glorified by his constancy.
Yet it was the will of the Lord to crush him;he has put him to grief; when his soul makes an offering for guilt,he shall see his offspring; he shall prolong his days;the will of the Lord shall prosper in his hand. Out of the anguish of his soul he shall see and be satisfied;by his knowledge shall the righteous one, my servant,make many to be accounted righteous,and he shall bear their iniquities.
Isaiah 53: 10-11
YET IT WAS THE WILL OF GOD TO CRUSH HIM. God choose to crush his only son on my behalf. He died that I might go freely to the God whose wrath I deserved. God's plan prospered in Jesus' hand because he obeyed the Father in all things. He obeyed that the Father would be glorified. His eyes was not on us, because we did not attract or deserve the sacrifice he made, his eye was on the Lord, the worthy One. Jesus was the perfect sacrifice and out of his suffering, he made sinners righteous and amplified God's mercy for all to see.
His love crushed his son to ransom my soul. He is glorified by his overwhelming compassion on sinners like me.
For a brief moment I deserted you,but with great compassion I will gather you. In overflowing anger for a moment I hid my face from you,but with everlasting love I will have compassion on you,”says the Lord, your Redeemer...For the mountains may depart and the hills be removed,but my steadfast love shall not depart from you,and my covenant of peace shall not be removed,”says the Lord, who has compassion on you.
Isaiah 54: 7-8, 10
I love the phrase "I will gather you." So often, even on good days, I feel scattered and empty, but God always gathers up the shards of my faith and reminds me why I even have joy. He whispers the reason I am alive, "Jesus." Yes, Jesus died and rose again to bring me to God. He brought me into everlasting communion with the Father and makes it possible, even at this moment and in spite of my sinful heart, for me to access the Father. My purpose is to delight in my God.
His love is mightier than anything we can experience in this life. God is glorified by being who he is, by loving sinners the way that he loves them. I love him for the small part of his character he has allowed me to understand. What a glorious, loving, mighty God we serve!!
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