ENGRAVED ON HIS HANDS

     Israel expresses her dismay, "But Zion said, 'The Lord has forsaken me; my Lord has forgotten me.  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; your walls are continually before me."  Isaiah 49:14-16 

Engraving was practiced by the ancients so this was not a new expression to the people of that day.  The engraving was done by burning or puncturing a memento or figure on the hand, arms, etc.  It was usually colored by rubbing in henna, indigo, or some other colored substance.  Imagine with me as the Lord, Himself, speaks to Israel, "I have you engraved on the palms of my hands..."  To further show His remembrance of you and me, the nail print would certainly leave a further assurance of His remembrance.   What love, not just shown with verbal expression, but with the very visual of
  the outstretched arms and the hands nailed.  I have often wondered if we will see those nail prints when we see Him face to face?  In the challenging days that we have been called to live, we do see mothers who forget their nursing children or even choose to take the preborn life of a child, and we see fathers walk away.  Oh, not our Lord, a mother, a father may forget us, BUT NOT OUR LORD.   This is a promise made, and a promise kept.   John 10:28-30, "I give them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand.  My father who has given them to me, is greater than all and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father's hand.  I and the Father are one. "  Bask in it, you and I have identity and belonging if we have received Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior!  Ever learning!  In process!  #IHAVETHREESONS.