Engraved

Isaiah 49:15b-16

I will not forget you!  See, I have engraved you on the palms of my hands; your walls are ever before me.

I have loved this verse for a long time.  The thought of God having my name engraved on the palms of His hand has always intrigued me.  After some study on this passage I am coming to a totally different understanding of this magnificent verse.

There are days when I feel as if I have Rick engraved on my heart. I told the girls the other day that I feel sometimes as if he has taken over my body…(I know that’s impossible, but humor me…smile)  I am doing things now that I have NEVER done before.  But, when doing them, I know it is something that Rick would be doing…and there I am doing it instead.  I have watched him work on, fix, repair, figure out and endure so many different things that I guess I picked up some of that in the process.  He has truly been engraved on my heart…and his work ethic has transferred to my hands and feet.  I am doing things now that I never thought possible.   I had a very good teacher.   I just wish he was here to thank him for leaving such a wonderful mark on my life.

In this passage God says some very amazing things.  First of all He says something that should make us want to stand up and shout.  He will NEVER forget us. When life is hard, complicated and feels like it is spinning out of control…He is remembering us.  NEVER will He forget.  I always thought when reading this passage that my name was written on the palm of His hand.  But, the verse actually says that WE are engraved on the palms of His hands (plural).  The word engraved means “to be cut into”.  And the word hands in this verse can also mean “feet”.  I can’t help but wonder if God had Jesus in mind when He had Isaiah pen these words.  Jesus was pierced for our transgressions.  He had nail marks, “cut into” both His hands and His feet.  I know we were on His mind when He suffered those marks in His body for us…but now I am thinking that we were somehow literally engraved or “cut into” those nail marks.  We were there…being engraved into His hands and His feet…He was remembering us at that moment.  How remarkable to think that thousands of years ago, we were known by God.

The next part of the verse says that our walls are ever before Him.  The word walls carries the meaning of being “joined”.  The word ever means “continually”.  This verse is saying that when He “cut us into His hands” we were forever joined to Him…we are continually joined to Him. I know the only way that is possible is through Jesus.  That is why I think He had Him in mind when this was written.  We have been cut into the very hands and feet of Jesus, joined to Him through His blood and sacrifice…continually before the LORD…He never forgets us.

During these days of my journey with grief and living life without Rick, I need to know that.  I need to know that when life seems to go on as normal for everyone else and I feel so alone…I have not been forgotten.  God has me engraved in the hands and feet of the One Who sits at His right hand.  I am forever joined to Him…never to be forgotten.  Although the days sometimes seem almost impossible to get through…that brings me such comfort.  To know that the Creator, the LORD God Almighty will never forget me…how can we do any less than serve and praise Him.  In grief, joy, pain, happiness, fulfillment, sadness, health, sickness and whatever may come our way in this life…may we always know and have engraved on OUR hearts that He will not forget us!

Sending much love,

Debbie

This entry was written on June 9, 2010 at 11:40 pm