Isaiah 49:13-16
“Shout for joy, you heavens; rejoice, you earth; burst into song, you mountains! For the Lord comforts his people and will have compassion on his afflicted ones. But Zion said, “The Lord has forsaken me, the Lord has forgotten me.” “Can a mother forget the baby at her breast and have no compassion on the child she has borne? Though she may forget, I will not forget you! See, I have engraved you on the palms of my hands; your walls are ever before me.”
Isaiah 49:13-16 NIV
Like most people, sometimes all that we need are a few kind words and a smile to get me through the day. A little kindness, mixed in with some encouragement, goes a long way. In the busyness of our own activities and careers, it’s nice to be applauded and appreciated once in a while.
God is aware of our suffering and He wants His children to discover relief in Him. Our affliction may be self-inflicted or from outside sources. Regardless, His compassion is more than empathy, it is active and far reaching. No matter how deep and severe our wounds, He cares. He comforts the afflicted and afflicts those who are too comfortable.
He understands our hurt. He understands our rejection. He understands our humiliation. He understands our fears. Jesus walked through the hurt of humanity on His way to the halleluiahs of heaven. He will never leave us or forsake us. It is for you and others that He lived and died. God is there to comfort you in your time of need. Let His unfailing love and compassion comfort you. Let Him wrap His arms around you and bring you peace.
The world attempts to comfort us and keep us content but the only place to find real peace, comfort and compassion is in the Lord. Shout for joy and rejoice because God loves and cares for His people. Pour out your heart in prayer, for the Lord will never forsake you. He will have compassion on you and His unfailing love will comfort you and give you peace.
Though we may suffer, our heavenly Father is always there for us with open arms ready to wipe away our tears. Look around you. With eyes of faith, see the little things that serve us every day. Could it be possible that this is God comforting us in our affliction? Of course, if we choose to remain prisoners in our own bodies, in our own worlds, then we may never be able to experience this love.
Open your eyes to the small comforts you take for granted each day. We all have needed or will need comfort and compassion at some point or another. The world attempts to keep you content but the only place to find real comfort and compassion is in the Lord. Pour out your heart in prayer and the Lord will give you the comfort and compassion you long for.
What a picture. God speaking to His people, in the Old Testament specifically here, and He uses this imagery, He says, “I’ve engraved you on the palms of my hands.” Those who have trusted in Christ have nothing to fear, for God is our Helper, He promises to uphold us. What does that mean?
When you think about, I mean even today, it’s not altogether different from Old Testament times, I mean think about a tattoo that somebody gets on their skin, and that’s something that they’re saying, I want that to be fixed on me for as long as I live. Where I constantly remember this one thing, and I constantly look at this one thing, and my attention’s drawn to this one thing, because it’s on me.
And if you think about it, something like that on your hand, I mean, you see it all the time. And so God says about His people, “I have engraved you on the palms of my hands,” and He uses those words after that, “Your walls are continually before me,” so that basically, He’s saying to His people, I don’t forget you. I’m committed to you. Everything that I’m doing, I’m thinking about you. I’m caring for you. I have you at the forefront of my mind, my heart, and all that I’m doing.
These are glorious words, that when we think about God’s love for us in Christ, so yes, we’re not the people of God in Isaiah 49:16 specifically, with walls that are continually before God, but the picture is in our lives. We know that God has called us His children. We’re His sons and daughters. We belong to Him. We’ve seen these kind of pictures all over Isaiah, and there is a sense in which we know that God has us always before Him, like He’s thinking about us, you and me.
The Lord has engraved us on the palms of His hands. That means no weapon formed against us shall prosper. The enemy might attack things and people might be coming against us, but they will not break us. Our lives have been engraved through the blood of our Lord and Savoir Jesus Christ. It was our loving Father Himself Who formed us, in secret, in our mother's womb and scheduled each day of our life.
It was our gracious Saviour Who suffered such agonies and labored, in love, on the Cross for us, to redeem us from our sins and make us His Bride. And it was the Holy Spirit of love Who wooed us and challenged us, convicted and finally breathed new life into our fallen frames, birthing us into God's family, and enlightening us with the abundance of His life.
Perhaps today you need a kind word and a smile from God. Through the grace that Jesus Christ brought into the world, we are given God’s comfort and compassion. Come to Him today with your worries and woes, your problems and pressures. His promises will help you. His love will sustain you. No matter what difficulties you or I are experiencing in our lives, let us take to heart the truth these gracious words remind us that there is nothing in heaven, on earth, or under the earth that can separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus, nothing that will ever cause the Lord to forget us!!!
Father thank You for this day and Your amazing grace to walk in it. Lord let Your abundant blessings pour out over my friend and family today. Lord it seems that good times test our faith as powerfully as bad times. Lord any time can be a time for us to question Your presence, Your power, and Your goodness. Lord come to us that we might come to our senses and trust that You are always right there, calling us home. Lord help us to see Your hand holding ours as we travel our path today. Lord we praise Your wonderful goodness and Your gracious compassion. Lord what comfort we have in the promise that You will never forget us. Lord Your promises of love are new every morning, great is Thy faithfulness. Lord use my friend to love others today as you love them, use my friend to be a bold witness of Your mercy and grace to all today. Be a blessing.
Father, we love You. Amen !
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