“I Will Not Forget You…I Have Engraved You On The Palms Of My Hands!”

“I Will Not Forget You…I Have Engraved You On The Palms Of My Hands!”
There comes a time in life when as a people or an individual your world is collapsing. Right now some of us are living between the devil and the deep blue sea. The safest among us are not safe at all! We look for safety and security and there seems to be none. Even though we have a God in whom we have absolute trust, we are often bound like the children of Israel to think that “the Lord has forsaken me, the Lord has forgothen me.”
To think that the Lord has forgotten and forsaken you is not lack of faith or weak faith. The Son of God felt the same way when he cried out, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” (Mk.15:34). God did not foresake him. It was the path he had to travel to enter his glory. It gets worst before getting better because the darkest hour of night is nearer the dawn.
The Lord says, “…I will not forget you! See, I have engraved you on the palms of my hands…”
To engrave is “to cut or carve (a text or design) on the surface of a hard object.” The significance is that the text is eternal on the object and the object – if it is flesh – feels acute pains during the engraving and the wounds take long to heal.
What this means is that God has felt our pains and the marks remain on him. To “doubting Thomas” Jesus said, “Put your finger here; see my hands. Reach out your hand and put it into my side. Stop doubting and believe” (Jn.20:24-29). The marks left of his hands and the spear mark on his side were part of the engraving of us on God.
Yes my friend, God has not abandoned us. Even in our worst moments he is feeling our pains. Take note of what the text says, “I have engraved you,” it doesn’t say, “I have engraved your name!” God is carrying you, he is carrying me on the palms of his hands, just as Aaron was to carry the names of the sons of Israel (Jacob) (Ex.28:9-12).
We may be ruined and made desolate as it is now, the land may be laid waste as it is now, but the day is coming when you will hear it said by your descendants, “This place is too small for us, give us more space to live in…” (Is.49: 14-21). God’s promises never fail. Let us come to him with contrite and repentant hearts and he will fulfill the plans he has for us.
Prayer: Father Almighty thank you for the assurance that even in the worst of my condition you will not forget me, for you have engraved me on your palms. Amen!
Have a blessed day! Peace be with you!