Read It: Isaiah 49:13-16a (NRSV)
13 Sing for joy, O heavens, and exult, O earth;
break forth, O mountains, into singing!
For the LORD has comforted his people,
and will have compassion on his suffering ones.
14 But Zion said, “The LORD has forsaken me,
my Lord has forgotten me.”
15 Can a woman forget her nursing child,
or show no compassion for the child of her womb?
Even these may forget,
yet I will not forget you.
16 See, I have inscribed you on the palms of my hands;
Learn It:
During this time Isaiah is writing while he and all of God's people are in exile from their homeland. God's people feel not only exiled from their homeland but also exiled from God. The land that had been given to them by God was now taken away by the Babylonians. They felt that God had abandoned them. These words from Isaiah must have felt like a joke or at least hollow. It would have been a hard thing to hear when they felt abandoned, yet Isaiah reminds them that even though people forget and aren't perfect, God doesn't forget and loves them no matter what. God loves them so much they are inscribed on God's hands and so are God's promises.
Share It:
When was a time when you wrote something down on your hand(s)? Why did you need to write it down and what did you use to write it down with (sharpie, pen, marker...)? Talk about this with your family.
Live It:
Try writing a reminder of how much God loves you or how much you have to give thanks to God for all that God does in your life for the next week. Make an inscription about how much God does and how much you have to be thankful for God. Try writing it on your hand as God inscribed God's hands. Or write it down as a note and stick it in your pocket to keep it with you at all times. God remembers you at every moment so this can be a way to keep focused on God more often.
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Please post comments with your experience with the Share it or live it part of this weeks post. Let others know if you and your family found this useful.
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