UNFAILING
MEMORY OF GOD
Picture taken
from Google
BIBLE PASSAGE:
ISAIAH
49: 13-26
The
most fearful situation I don’t want to happen to me is to become forgetful and
can’t remember anything. I want my memory to be intact while I’m still here on
earth. I want to be used by God to the fullest.
Another
thing, I always hear people say that they are forgotten by God when they face
difficulties in life. The same with the life of people mentioned in the book of
Isaiah. Israel feared that God had forgotten them.
In
verse 13, the Lord praised the people but in the midst of His great praise for
the Messiah and His saving work, Zion – speaking of the highest hill in
Jerusalem, and the place of God’s people by association – Zion objects (enduring
commentary), Zion believed they had forsaken by God. The
bible says in verse 14, “The Lord hath forsaken me, and my Lord hath forgotten
me.” Because of their captivity in Babylon, Zion wanders “Does God really care
about us?” The same question we have heard to people asking since then.
LESSON POINTS:
1. 1. I WILL NOT FORGET YOU (ISAIAH 49:15)
For me, the most hurtful feeling I could feel is
when a loved one forgets me. For small thing we encounter like forgetting our
birthday, it causes us a feeling of abandonment or less important. Therefore,
when someone says, “I won’t FORGET YOU” that will be a great feeling of
acceptance and love. The assurance that those words came not from a simple
person but to the ULTIMATE GOD who knows everything; your Creator.
Can a woman forget her sucking child, that she
should not have compassion on the son of her womb? Yea, they may forget, yet
will I not forget thee.”
Though God’s memory is incomparable, yet it is compared to a
nursing child just to for us to see God’s love and affection. Everyone knows
that a woman will never forget her nursing child. Yet the Lord says, “Surely
they may forget, yet I will not forget you.” The Lord’s affection for His
people is greater than the devotion a woman has for her nursing child.
2. 2. I HAVE GRAVEN YOU UPON THE PALMS
OF MY HANDS (ISAIAH 49:16)
“Behold, I
have graven thee upon the palms of my hands;…
This has an obvious and beautiful fulfillment in the
nail-scarred hands of Jesus. As Jesus told Thomas in a post-resurrection
appearance, look at My hands (John 20:27). When we see the nail-scarred
hands of Jesus, we see how He has inscribed us on the palms of His hands. With
such love, how could ever forget His people? Truly, how could He forget if we
are graved in His hands. This is a great assurance for us.
3. 3. YOUR WALLS ARE CONTINUALLY BEFORE
ME (ISAIAH 49:16)
“Behold, I
have graven thee upon the palms of my hands; thy walls are continually
before me.”
The walls refer to the
walls of the city of Jerusalem, which figuratively speak of the health, the
strength, the prosperity, and the security of God’s people. God is always
mindful of the condition of His people, despite the objections of a doubting
Zion.
(enduring.com)
In the next verses we can see the details of God’s
fulfillment of His promise. As the Lord brings the sons of Zion back to Israel,
they will the land in a glorious way. Thou the promise seems too good to be
true; God confirms it with an oath to the nations. God will rescue Israel from
both their immediate and ultimate captivity.
We may face difficulties here on earth, but the thought
that He won’t forget us is a great assurance. There are reasons why
difficulties happen but whether you accept it or not those are meant for good.
His promises are still there and we are under the process of learning.
