“Can a mother forget her nursing child? Can she feel no love for the child she has borne? But even if that were possible, I would not forget you! See, I have written your name on the palms of my hands.” Isaiah 49:15-16 (NLT)
Just like a mother cannot forget her child, God cannot forget you.
Have you been abandoned in life by a spouse or a parent? God will never abandon you.
Have you been rejected by those you trusted the most? God will never reject you.
Have you been left behind by the people who were supposed to walk through life with you? God will never leave you alone.
When you go through any of those painful experiences, you will be tempted to think that God has forgotten you. But that’s impossible! You were made to be loved by God. He created you as an object of his love.
In fact, did you know God has a tattoo of your name engraved on the palms of his hands? The Bible says in Isaiah 49:15-16, “Can a mother forget her nursing child? Can she feel no love for the child she has borne? But even if that were possible, I would not forget you! See, I have written your name on the palms of my hands” (NLT).
Where did he get the tattoo? On the cross. With nail-pierced hands and outstretched arms, he showed you just how much he loves you. He loves you so much it hurts! He loves you so much he’d rather die than live without you. He loves you with an everlasting love.
In heaven, no one is going to have any scars except Jesus. His body will have all the scars of the cross. Why? Because he wants to always remember how much he loves you.
When you don’t understand what’s going on in your life, you need to remember this: You may not have a solution. You won’t always have the answers. And you won’t always get an explanation.
But you do have God’s presence and his love in your life. When life doesn’t make sense, you have to hold on to that promise.
PLAY today’s audio teaching from Pastor Rick
Talk It Over
How does knowing God’s ways are “far beyond anything you could imagine” (Isaiah 55:8) help you when you don’t understand what he is doing?
Is God’s presence enough for you when you don’t have answers for your suffering? Why or why not?
Who in your life needs to hear that God has not forgotten them? How will you reach out to them today?
This devotional © 2023 by Rick Warren. All rights reserved. Used by permission.
When you go through any painful experience in your life, you will be tempted to think that God has forgotten you. But that’s impossible! Find out why in today’s #DailyHope devotional.
Rick Warren Bio
Rick Warren is the founding pastor of Saddleback Church, one of America’s largest and most influential churches. Pastor Rick is the author of the New York Times bestseller The Purpose Driven Life. His book The Purpose Driven Church was named one of the 100 Christian books that changed the 20th century. Pastor Rick created The PEACE Plan to address the five global giants—spiritual emptiness, self-serving leadership, poverty, disease, and illiteracy—through the power of ordinary people in the local church. His Daily Hope broadcast and daily devotionals are offered around the world. You can listen to the broadcast or sign up for the free devotionals at PastorRick.com.
Tags
How to Get Through What You’re Going Through – 2023, Pain, Grief, Healing, God’s Love, God’s Promises, Trust, Healing Choices, Isaiah 49
Broadcast Series: How to Get Through What You’re Going Through – 2023
Sermon Series: How to Get Through What You’re Going Through
Sermon: 025001_How We’re Getting Through
