Isaiah 49-53 Pictures on the Fridge

August 8th, Isaiah 49-53

       The impression this morning impressed upon me is the intimacy that God has with messed up people. We tend to disassociate ourselves with people who let us down again and again and again and again... There is a breadth to God's grace that I am unfamiliar with, that reminds me quickly that I seldom love as God does.
       49:15-16 speaks of the impossibility of a woman forgetting her child, that God has an image of you engraved on the palm of his hand. Like a mom carrying pictures of her kids in her purse (on her phone: it's a new day!). You pull out your phone to show people your children.  Your proud to show them to anyone who will look. God does the same thing with you. With your picture on his palm, he says "look, here's my kid!" With a bold proclamation God says "you belong!"
       These messages of connection live in the midst of a prophets call out of a lot of personal and national mistakes. It is a curiosity in the midst of Gods love and expectation. As people we probably live in the error of enjoying the first too much or beating ourselves up for the second.
    Go check out verses 50:4,7-10, 52:5-8, 53:2-6... Let us step into a love that God is offering us, shed the confused feelings about our identity with God and live as the loved, dear children of the King of all kings.

       Hey look, it's your face on Gods palm... He must really love you!!