God's Did What?

Have you ever surprised yourself with a thought that seemed completely out of character?

I certainly did.

In this episode, I share something that's been on my mind lately. Before you jump to conclusions, stay with me. What begins as an unexpected question takes us on a journey to one of the most reassuring promises God ever made.

Sometimes the most surprising conversations lead us to the deepest hope.

Transcript

SPEAKER_00 0:03

Hello friends, I'm your host, Dr. Dave Leighton, and thank you for joining me on our journey to hope. This podcast is a place where together we explore how to discover, sustain, and sometimes regain hope. Wherever you're listening, let's take a deep breath, open our hearts, and continue this journey towards hope. And remember, no one walks alone. Today's episode is brought to you by Come and See Publications. I invite you to visit ComeandSee Publications.com. You'll discover devotional books, Bible studies, and other Christ-centered resources to help you continue growing in your faith. That's Come and See Publications.com. Everywhere we look today, we see people with tattoos. They are not always small, discrete images. Some cover most of the body and are very descriptive and bold. Have you ever thought about getting a tattoo? Well I've been thinking about getting a tattoo. Don't worry, this is not an announcement. At my age, I probably spend more time deciding what to get than I'd have left to enjoy it. And besides, if I got one now, it might start on my shoulder and then it would slowly work its way south. But it did get me to thinking. People get tattoos because something matters deeply to them. They commemorate a loved one, celebrate an important milestone, or express a conviction they want to carry for the rest of their lives. A tattoo says this is important to me. Well then I came across one of the most beautiful passages in the Bible. Through Isaiah, the Lord says, Can a woman forget her nursing child that she should have no compassion on the son of her womb? Even these may forget, yet I will not forget you. That's Isaiah chapter forty nine verse fifteen. What an amazing picture. Imagine the image of a mother holding her tiny baby close, feeding the child, watching every moment and responding to every cry. And then the idea that that mother could forget that child well the image itself is one of the strongest pictures of tender love that we know. And so God asked that question. Even if it were possible, he says, I will never forget you. And then comes the next verse, Isaiah forty nine, verse sixteen. God says, Behold, I have engraved you on the palms of my hands. Isn't that remarkable? Long before people ever thought about engraving something meaningful on themselves, God used that as an image to describe his love for his people. He isn't saying he literally has a tattoo. He's saying you are never out of my mind. I never lose sight of you. You matter to me. And he's saying he is faithful to his promises. As I thought about that, another question came to my mind. If God has engraved us on his hand, well where does he want his message to be written? Not on our skin, but on our hearts. In Jeremiah 31, 33, God says, I will put my law within them, and I will write it on their hearts. That's the inscription God desires. His truth, his grace, his mercy, his character, and his love and faithfulness are woven into who we are. The world may notice what is written on someone's skin, but people experience what is written on our hearts. They read it in our patience, they see it in our kindness, and they recognize it on our forgiveness. They hear it in our words of hope. So perhaps the question isn't if I got a tattoo, what would it say? Maybe the better question is if people watched my life today, what would they conclude that God has been writing on my heart? Well here's some wonderful news. God is still writing. Every day he teaches us, every day he forgives us, and every day he shapes us a little more into the likeness of his son. Well I'm thankful he's still writing on my heart, because there are still some chapters that he's editing. I hope you never forget this beautiful truth. Before God asked his word to be written on your heart, he assured you that you were already engraved on his hands. Well thank you for joining us on our journey to hope. For more articles, videos, devotionals, books, and encouragement, please visit Comandsee Publications dot com. That's Come and See Publications dot com. I'm your host, Dave Leighton, and until next time, remember no one walks alone.