Never Forsaken Or Forgotten

#2. GOD’S INCARNATION – v 16a. “Behold, I have graven thee upon the palms of my hands;..”

God doesn’t have hands. This is a figure of speech known as an anthropo-morphism. That is when human features are used to describe the character-istics of God. It is a human attempt to describe God in ways we can compre-hend. In our relationship with God it has become a reality.

When Jesus took on a human body, God literally had hands. When He died on the cross, the nails that were driven through His hands left scares as a permanent reminder of His love for and relationship to His redeemed people.

John 20:27-28 “Then saith he to Thomas, Reach hither thy finger, and behold my hands; and reach hither thy hand, and thrust it into my side: and be not faithless, but believing. 28 And Thomas answered and said unto him, My Lord and my God.”

Revelation 5:6 “And I beheld, and, lo, in the midst of the throne and of the four beasts, and in the midst of the elders, stood a Lamb as it had been slain,…”

He will not deny us; the proof of our relationship is ever before His face! We enjoy absolute, eternal security in our salvation.

John 6:37-40 “All that the Father giveth me shall come to me; and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out. 38 For I came down from heaven, not to do mine own will, but the will of him that sent me. 39 And this is the Father’s will which hath sent me, that of all which he hath given me I should lose nothing, but should raise it up again at the last day. 40 And this is the will of him that sent me, that every one which seeth the Son, and believeth on him, may have everlasting life: and I will raise him up at the last day.”

John 10:28 “I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand.”

#3. GOD’S PROVIDENCE – v 16b. “Thy walls are continually before me.”

Here God is described as a watchman. He had not forsaken or forgotten Zion, but her walls were ever on His mind and in His vision. Like a watchman, God would be vigilant and diligent to look after the needs and the welfare of His people. The nation of Israel and His promises to her were always on His heart.

Many of the Jews feared that God had forgotten His promises to them. They could not see that God was working even in what appeared to be a disaster to bring about His perfect will for His people. He had His eye on every detail of their existence.

He does the same for us! It may appear that God has abandoned you. It may appear that God has forgotten you. That is merely how things appear. The truth is, God never fails and God never forgets. That is His guarantee!

Romans 4:20-21. “Abraham staggered not at the promise of God through unbelief; but was strong in faith, giving glory to God; 21 And being fully persuaded that, what he had promised, he was able also to perform.”

What kind of promises are we talking about? All of them!

• His Presence. Hebrews 13:5 “Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.”