Isaiah 49:14-16
Each of us has faced difficulties in life, sometimes compounded by events like the COVID-19 pandemic, conflicts, wars and countless other things. Today, the world seems to be groaning under the weight of hardship. Many have lost jobs, moving toward an uncertain future. Some find themselves in quarantine, separated from loved ones, while others must work tirelessly for others’ safety. People are sick and hospitalized; financial burdens press on many; some feel that love has faded, and life has been unfair.
Perhaps you feel like saying, “We’ve been forgotten, left behind, and the land is desolate.” This is a familiar feeling.
God’s people once felt this way too. In their hardship, they cried, “The LORD has forsaken me, the LORD has forgotten me” (Isaiah 49:14). Their suffering was great, and they couldn’t understand why.
But the truth is, the LORD had never abandoned them. He was always watching over them with deep love—they just hadn’t realized it. God responded to their fears by saying, “Can a mother forget the baby at her breast and have no compassion on the child she has borne?” (Isaiah 49:15). Any mother, or parent, knows how impossible it is to forget their child, especially one so dependent. And if human parents, imperfect as they are, remember their children, how much more does the LORD remember us!
Even if a mother could forget her child, the LORD would never forget us. He assures, “Though she may forget, I will not forget you” (Isaiah 49:15).
In fact, God goes even further. He says, “See, I have engraved you on the palms of my hands” (Isaiah 49:16).
When you feel overwhelmed or forgotten, remember this truth: the LORD has engraved you on His palms. He remembers you always. The One who says, “I will not forget you” is the Creator of heaven and earth. His love is so vast that He gave His Son so we could be saved. He looks upon us with a love beyond measure. Often, we worry because we fail to recognize just how deeply and constantly God loves us.
-Rev. Dr. James R. Ruolngul
