“Behold, I have engraved you on the palms of my hands…” (Isaiah 49:16)
“My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me. 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.” – Jesus (John 10:27-29)
Today is our fifth Sabbath rest on our Lenten journey to the cross. We have already discovered that rest is a vital part of the life of a disciple of Jesus. We have also discovered that in today’s world rest is hard to come by. One thing that is essential for one to experience Sabbath is a sense of security. An assurance that we are safe…taken care of…that the future, though unknown, is in good hands. In the Scripture, God goes to great lengths to give those who follow Him this peace.
Jesus spoke the words above in order to assure His followers (His sheep) that they were safe and secure. They did not have to live in fear of getting lost again. They did not have to constantly look over their shoulder in fear of being “snatched away” by the evil wolves that are out there. “I will take care of you. I will protect you. Come to me and I will lead you beside the still waters and into the green pastures to be refreshed.”
“Oh Lord, please don’t forget me. Lord, I am afraid. Don’t leave me.”
“My precious child, I cannot forget you. Even if all others forget you, I will not…and just to make sure you know, I have engraved you on the palm of my hand.”
Does God have tattoos? Seems a silly question to ask on a beautiful Sabbath morning, but if God had a tattoo what would it be? Well, the prophet Isaiah says, it’s You. Yep.
My beloved friends, God loves you so much. He has you in the palms of His hands and He will never let you go. He will never leave you or forsake you. He will not forget about you. So, take a Sabbath rest today. Draw a deep breath that God has provided for you and allow yourself to be refreshed in the security of His presence. Peace be to you.
Blessings.