Is Your Name Written Down?

Isaiah 49:14-16 “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.”

Have you ever written something on the palm of your hand so you wouldn’t forget it?  Maybe a grocery list or contact information such as a phone number?  It is kind of ironic to know that it is not a new thing but something God has even done!  But, wait, I have always written it in ink and then as soon as I could I washed it off.  I had to scrub but I got it off!  Look at that verse again, God has etched the tribes of Israel on His hands.  He has not just put them on there and then tried to wash them off but they are like the names inscribed on stone tablets in the palm of His hand. 

Stop and think just a little about what the Israelites have done in the past.  They grumbled, complained, built idols and worshipped other gods, did not obey God’s law or instructions . . .  But before you are quick to judge, do you know anyone that is not an Israelite that has lived any better?  It doesn’t take long to realize we are all the same, we have all sinned and have fallen short of the glory of God (Romans 3:23).  If God etched the names of Zion in His hands He will never forget them but will they forget Him?  If He has remembered them in such a way, will He do the same for you? 

Looking in Revelation 3:5, there is another place where names are written down.  “He who overcomes will, like them, be dressed in white.  I will never blot out his name from the book of life, but will acknowledge his name before my Father and his angels.”  Q:  How do we overcome the trials of this world?  How do we have the strength to make it through trying times?   A:  We need to remember Him and draw our strength from Him. 

As I was reading Isaiah 49, I thought it was all about the Israelites and then some verses jumped out at me.  Isaiah 49: 6 “He says: ‘It is too small a thing for you to be my servant to restore the tribes of Jacob and bring back those of Israel I have kept.  I will also make you a light for the Gentiles, that you may bring my salvation to the ends of the earth.’  Wow, God’s salvation is for all of us.  He sent Jesus Christ as the sacrificial Lamb that we may all know Him.  His love does not stop with His chosen people but we too can be written down and not blotted out of the Book of Life.  Just as He told Joshua, Joshua 1:7 “Be strong and very courageous.”  We are called and we are remembered, there is not question about that!  But the question is, do we remember? 

Draw near to Him today and seek Him with all your heart and do not forget the One who saves you.

Seeking Him with all my heart,

Sheila