“Behold, I have graven thee upon the palms of my hands.” 
              — Isaiah 49:16

No doubt a part of the wonder which is concentrated in the word
“Behold,” is excited by the unbelieving lamentation of the preceding
sentence. Zion said, “The Lord hath forsaken me, and my God hath
forgotten me.” How amazed the divine mind seems to be at this wicked
unbelief! What can be more astounding than the unfounded doubts and
fears of God’s favoured people? The Lord’s loving word of rebuke should
make us blush; he cries, “How can I have forgotten thee, when I have
graven thee upon the palms of my hands? How darest thou doubt my
constant remembrance, when the memorial is set upon my very flesh?” O
unbelief, how strange a marvel thou art! We know not which most to
wonder at, the faithfulness of God or the unbelief of his people. He
keeps his promise a thousand times, and yet the next trial makes us
doubt him. He never faileth; he is never a dry well; he is never as a
setting sun, a passing meteor, or a melting vapour; and yet we are as
continually vexed with anxieties, molested with suspicions, and
disturbed with fears, as if our God were the mirage of the desert.
“Behold,” is a word intended to excite admiration. Here, indeed, we
have a theme for marvelling. Heaven and earth may well be astonished
that rebels should obtain so great a nearness to the heart of infinite
love as to be written upon the palms of his hands. “I have graven
thee.”It does not say, “Thy name.” The name is there, but that is not
all: “I have graven thee.” See the fulness of this! I have graven thy
person, thine image, thy case, thy circumstances, thy sins, thy
temptations, thy weaknesses, thy wants, thy works; I have graven thee,
everything about thee, all that concerns thee; I have put thee
altogether there. Wilt thou ever say again that thy God hath forsaken
thee when he has graven thee upon his own palms?

On this day...

• Utilitarian Christianity - 2024
• Revival - 2024
• Don't Give Up - 2012
• The Resolution [from the movie COURAGEOUS] - 2012
• DESERTER OR DISCIPLE? - 2009
• CONTINUOUS CONVERSION - 2009
• CONTINUOUS CONVERSION - 2009
• 2 Timothy 2:11 - 2009