Tuesday, April 6, 2010

Graven Upon the Palms



Isaiah 49:16
Behold, I have graven thee upon the palms of my hands.


No doubt a part of the wonder which is concentrated in the word "Behold," is excited by the unbelieving lamentation of the preceding sentence. Zion said, "The Lord hath forsaken me, and my God hath forgotten me." How amazed the divine mind seems to be at this wicked unbelief! What can be more astounding than the unfounded doubts and fears of God's favoured people? The Lord's loving word of rebuke should make us blush; He cries, "How can I have forgotten thee, when I have graven thee upon the palms of my hands? How darest thou doubt my constant remembrance, when the memorial is set upon my very flesh?" O unbelief, how strange a marvel thou art! We know not which most to wonder at, the faithfulness of God or the unbelief of His people. He keeps His promise a thousand times, and yet the next trial makes us doubt Him. He never faileth; He is never a dry well; He is never as a setting sun, a passing meteor, or a melting vapour; and yet we are as continually vexed with anxieties, molested with suspicions, and disturbed with fears, as if our God were the mirage of the desert. "Behold," is a word intended to excite admiration. Here, indeed, we have a theme for marvelling. Heaven and earth may well be astonished that rebels should obtain so great a nearness to the heart of infinite love as to be written upon the palms of His hands. "I have graven thee. "It does not say, "Thy name." The name is there, but that is not all: "I have graven thee." See the fulness of this! I have graven thy person, thine image, thy case, thy circumstances, thy sins, thy temptations, thy weaknesses, thy wants, thy works; I have graven thee, everything about thee, all that concerns thee; I have put thee altogether there. Wilt thou ever say again that thy God hath forsaken thee when He has graven thee upon His own palms?


Devotional by Charles Spurgeon

5 comments:

Denise said...

Such a wonderful devotion.

Adrienne said...

Gorgeous photo and wonderful devotion! And the truth that He knows MY name because it's engraved on His palms gives joy beyond comprehension.
~Adrienne~

Karen said...

Loved all of this....

Alleluiabelle said...

Such a beautiful devotion by Spurgeon and your photo equally as beautiful.

Thank you for posting it.

Love you,
Alleluiabelle

Maxine said...

Oh, praise the Lord! That photo is breathtaking, Cathy! To be graven upon the palms of His hands! We have much to praise Him and thank Him for.