Original Date: April 15, 2018
Scripture: Isaiah 49:13-16 "13 Sing for joy, O heavens, and exult, O earth; burst into song, O mountains! for the for the Lord comforts his people and will have compassion on his afflicted ones. 14 But Zion said, "The Lord has forsaken me, the Lord has forgotten me." 15 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! 16 See, I have engraved you on the palms of my hands; your walls are ever before me."
In April of 2015, while driving home from work at 3 in the morning I fell asleep, ran off the road in the middle of a curve resulting in the vehicle going up an embankment and ultimately rolling over. Fortunately, the car landed upright and I was able to climb out through the passenger side door. Also very fortunately, I came through the wreck with no major injuries. I did suffer a broken wrist which I did have to have surgery for. Waking up to find yourself in the middle of a car crash is a terrifying experience and one I doubt I shall ever forget. Especially, since I will always carry the visual reminder of it in the form of scar on my left wrist.
The above portion of Scripture from Isaiah is speaking to the remnant of exiles that are returning from Babylon to their home to eventually begin the re-construction of their temple. Thus, they are exhorted to be joyous. The passage even invites the heavens to sing for joy, for the earth to offer exultations, and for the mountains themselves to sing. Why? For the Lord is comforting and offering compassion to his suffering ones.
But the suffering ones are still suffering from their exile and their traumatic experience. They are still a little leery and maybe even a little resentful. They had felt abandoned by God during their time of trials. They respond to this exhortation to be joyous by saying, “But the Lord has forsaken me, and my Lord has forgotten me.” It’s hard to feel joy when you feel forsaken and forgotten.
Notice God’s response to their complaint. He doesn’t reprimand them for being ungrateful and whiny. The next several verses reflect him promising and proving that he has not forgotten them and that he is indeed working on restoring and redeeming them.
Now, we know that God doesn’t always respond to complaints in such a positive manner. During the time of the Exodus, he would often get angry at the people for grumbling and complaining. What’s the difference? I believe it comes down to the situation at hand and the heart of the people involved. During the time in the desert they would get greedy and demanding and not show any gratefulness for what was being provided. But, here in today’s reading God is aware of the pain they have been through and apparently knows that collectively the Israelites have learned the lesson that the exile was supposed to have taught them.
We should always remember that God does not mind hearing our laments and our concerns. The Book of Psalms is full of passages where the Psalmists are pouring out their hurt and their sorrow and their feelings of hopelessness and even abandonment. Don’t be afraid to let God know when you are hurting. But, always be ready to keep your heart and mind open to receive his promise of comfort. It may not be felt right away, but it will come.
And for the people of Israel in today’s passage that message comes right on the heels of their complaint. God responds by assuring them that not only will he not forget them, but that he literally cannot forget them.
He first asks, “Can a mother forget her own child that she gave birth to and nursed?” In most cases there is not a greater bond between two people than that of a mother to her child. Now, we know that there are mothers who because of mental illness or just the result of an evil heart do not love and nurture their children in the manner that they should. I daresay, though, even the most unkind and unloving mothers do not forget the child they gave birth to. But God goes further. He says, “even if they forget, I will not forget.”
What he goes on to say in Verse 16 is the main focus of today’s message. Hear again these words: “See, I have engraved you on the palms of my hands; your walls are ever before me.”
“Engraved on the palms of my hands.” Some translations use the word inscribed. Sometimes, when I am in a hurry and need to make a quick note, I will take my pen and scribble the note in the palm of my hand. It’s a good short-term way of making a note. For one, I am apt to see it as I use my hands so I’m going to remember that it’s there. So until I have a better place to record the note, it works well. Yet, it is not a permanent way of keeping the note handy. When I wash my hands, what I have written is going to disappear. The pen is only writing on the surface of my hand.
But God said his people were engraved on the palms of his hands. That is not just writing on the surface. Webster’s dictionary defines the word engrave this way, “a. to form by incision or b. to impress deeply as if with a graver.” Let’s look also at Webster’s definition of the word inscribe. It tells us that word means, “to write, engrave, or print as a lasting record.”
So, when God engraves his people in the palms of his hands he is not just making a quick, short-lasting note to himself. He is inserting them deeply and ever-lastingly into his being and his memory. Now, let’s be clear. God is not marking His palms for his benefit. He could and would remember his people without that act. This is an act, if only a symbolic and metaphorical one, done for the benefit of the people of Israel. He has told them countless times in the past that he will remember them and the covenant he has made with them. It is they who are prone to forgetfulness. He is telling them that he can not forget them because they are a part of him. Remember we defined to engrave “as to form by incision.” He has carved out a space of his spiritual being and placed them within that space. Just as the surgeon’s knife cut into my wrist to give him access to heal my broken wrist and restore it to proper function, God himself has incised a part of himself to give us access to heal ourselves by his work of salvation and restoration. And as the related word inscribe tells us, it is done for the purpose of making a lasting record. God does not remember just for the short term. He remembers for everlasting.
Why does God have to keep reminding his chosen people Israel, and us by extension, that he will not forget us and that he is always there to offer comfort, compassion, and salvation. It is because we as people have trouble relating to someone who never forgets. We are finite beings trying to relate to an infinite Being. And we are people who forget. We forget appointments. We forget promises made to others. We forget anniversaries. We forget birthdays. Go in any store that sells birthday cards and you will see a section dedicated to Belated Birthday wishes. We go from one room to the next and forget why we are there. We watch loved ones succumb to Alzheimer’s and forget the names of their own family members. We are people who forget. But God is one who does not forget. Better yet, he is on who can not forget.
Now, in Jeremiah 31:34 the Lord tells us “For I will forgive their wickedness and will remember their sins no more.” I propose it is not so much that he forgets them in a manner in which they are erased from his memory. In actuality, he just chooses not to remember them. One of Webster’s definition of the word to forget is, “to disregard intentionally.” That is what God does in regards to remembering the sins we have sought forgiveness for. He intentionally chooses not to bring them to mind so as not to hold them against us.
So, we have established that God can not forget his people or his promises to them. They are engraved in the palms of his hands. Let’s turn our attention now to why God used this specific imagery.
Why did he mention palms? He could have said I have engraved you in my heart or in my mind. Why choose palms instead? For one, it is a better visual and concrete example. We can see and touch our palms. It is harder to see our hear and mind in the same way. Now it is true we can look up pictures of what a heart and brain look like. But when we think of them in relationship to God or others, it is more difficult to grasp that concept. It’s like trying to imagine what a soul looks like. A palm, however, can be seen and touched and is easier to relate to.
Imagine, if you will, I have an object in my hands and I ask you to hold it for me. Now, I tell you that the object is very fragile and delicate. What are you going to do? Try to balance it on the back of your hands? Or cup it in the palms of your hands? You are most likely going to hold it protectively in your palms. Therefore, we see our palms as places of safety and security.
Deuteronomy 33:17 “The eternal God is your refuge, and underneath are the everlasting arms.”
Psalm 46:1 “God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble.”
Psalm 91:2 “I will say of the Lord, ‘He is my refuge and my fortress, my God in whom I trust.'”
When God tells us he has us engraved in the palms of his hands he is saying, “I am your refuge. I will keep you safe.” He cradles us in his hands. He promises us his protection.
Imagine, too, a young child crying. One way a parent can choose to comfort them is by kneeling down on their level and taking the child’s face in between the palms of their hands and talk to them soothingly and reassuringly. As much as the words may help, I believe the touch of the hands offer the most comfort.
Isaiah 49:13 “For the Lord comforts his people.”
Isaiah 66:13 “As a mother comforts her child, so will I comfort you, and you will be comforted over Jerusalem.”
Picturing ourselves engraved in the palms of God’s hands should give us comfort during troubles in our own lives.
Reflecting on the verse and image, I can’t help but also think of Jesus and his post-Resurrection appearances to his disciples. He shows them the wounds in his hands and side. Two of the three nails that held Jesus to the cross went through the palms of his hands. He bore all of humanity’s sins when he was crucified. In essence, in this physical form Jesus did indeed have us engraved in the palms of his hands. When he looked upon the scars he saw all the people he died to save.
As we leave here today there are two things I want you to take with you. First, when those moments in your life arise when, just like the people of Israel, you begin to feel that God has forgotten you or forsaken you, know that he has not. Picture your name engraved in the palm of his hand. Rest assured he is holding you in his hands to protect you and comfort you. Second, share this good news with others. Let people know there is a Savior who had his own hands pierced to save them and give them life eternal.
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Notes from a Book Nerd 