Sunday's Guest Post by Alicia

Today's reading from the One Year Bible Chronological Reading Plan is Isaiah 48:12-52:12

Scripture:
Isaiah 49:15-16
"Can a mother forget the baby at her breast and have no compassion on the child she has borne? Though she may forget, I will not forget you.
See, I have engraved you on the palms of my hands, your walls are ever before me."

Observation:
The whole time I was reading these passages I kept being drawn to the perspective of reading it as it applied to me, a child of God. For in fact, I am Israel, I am the wayward child that is bought and loved. It was so evident that I could not seem to hardly read it in it's OT context. Still the fact is, it is very much the sentiment God has for those He has purchased in Christ as well. This verse in particular declares His deep passion for His people.
As a mother, to imagine forgetting your child rips your heart out and yet, God's affection and devotion is deeper still.
"your walls are ever before me" is a reference to Ex 13:9 which is believed to be a reference to the tradition of the people to engrave the image of their city on their hands to show loyal devotion to it. I'm not sure if that was a tattoo but it would have to be something permanently evident.
The verse is filled with heart wrenching word pictures to get across His statement of faithfulness.

Application:
We are his people. He has chosen us and written us on his hands. He can no more reject us than reject his son for indeed rejecting his people would be to destroy the whole sacrifice of His son and He would never do that or even make light of it. The covenant to his people Israel has been given to us at the cross, it has transferred over to his bride the church and we are in Him. A covenant written in the precious blood of Christ that causes God to look on his people as if we had always obeyed. The motivation for devotion to our faithful God that comes from pondering this is powerful. Guilt will never motivate us, it will tear us down and stop us because it's all about us and our performance. Preaching this gospel of the purchased people over and over, will take the light off us and always put it back on Christ where it belongs. We are His, His people, to eternity.

Prayer:
Lord help us wrap our heads around this more clearly. Let it become part of who we are so our devotion is genuine and our praise of you thick and true. Thank you that you did what we could never do, and help us not fall into the trap of trying to do it now and therefore spit on the work of your son to make it "finished". Let us think about what it cost you, not just in the pain, but in the tearing of the trinity. The painful separation even for a moment from your Son as you had to turn your face from Him for our sakes. Let us ponder the agony of his rejection because of our sin and the love for you that powered that in obedience. Help us get it Lord. Let us not build up our own glory story with our 10 steps to being a better Christian, but to really know that this is your work, done and finished and working daily to sanctify us. You work in us to make us more like yourself. Help us get our mind on you, you, you and our covenant with you that YOU have perfected. Let it explode within us the return sentiment of praise to your name and works to your glory powered by genuine want of you and love for what you did.

Tomorrow's reading is:
Isaiah 52:13-57:21