Mother-love, chiseled hands ∙∙
As a mother consoles a child, so I will comfort you. – Isaiah 66:13
Isaiah 49:14-16
14 Yet Jerusalem says, “The LORD has deserted us; the Lord has forgotten us.”
15 “Never! 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!”
16 “See, I have written your name on the palms of my hands. Always in my mind is a picture of Jerusalem’s walls in ruins.”
A Love Like No Other
The love we experience as humans takes on many forms, yet there’s something uniquely profound about a mother’s love. What sets it apart? A mother’s love is unconditional and enduring, anchoring itself in permanence. It requires no effort to earn, no extraordinary feats to sustain. It simply is. A mother loves her child not for what they do but for who they are. Personality, achievements, or circumstances do not dictate her care. It is freely given, unsolicited, yet profoundly treasured.
The Father God has intricately designed mothers with an innate capacity for this kind of love. The bond between a mother and her child is immediate and transcendent. It begins not with the child’s first breath but long before, as early as the moment a mother learns of the life growing within her. This connection climaxes at birth, an extraordinary moment when two souls, forever intertwined, take on their roles as nurturers and dependents.
A mother’s instinct to protect and nurture is unparalleled. The love bond between mother and child arises instantly. This natural, unconditional love creates a foundation for children to thrive. It builds relationships marked by trust, respect, and affection, fostering security and happiness in the lives of the little ones who receive it. Truly, the love of a mother serves as a model of devotion.
God’s Love Through the Lens of a Mother
The Bible often describes God as our Father. The Scriptures certainly emphasize the Fatherhood of God. His care for us is like that of a shepherd who faithfully tends his sheep or of a vine sustaining its branches. We see metaphors of a husband and wife, a bride and bridegroom, a head and a body. What is less well-known is that one of the most tender portrayals of God’s love is that of a compassionate mother.
The prophet Isaiah depicts God as a loving mother who comforts her children with care and concern: Isaiah 66:13: “As a mother comforts her child, so will I comfort you.” This maternal imagery shows that a mother’s love and protection for her child reflects Creator God’s care for all of us.
God’s love transcends the imperfections that can, at times, be found in human relationships. Is it possible for a mother to neglect or mistreat her child? Regrettably, yes, sometimes the unthinkable can happen. But it is an aberration, not the norm. Yet, even in the most heartbreaking of circumstances, where earthly love falters, God’s love remains steadfast.
The Lord declares in Isaiah 49:15, “Can a woman forget her baby who nurses at her breast? Can she withhold compassion from the child she has borne? Even if mothers were to forget, I could never forget you!”
But our King would never do this! The Father assures His people of His love by comparing Himself to a compassionate mother. Israel is depicted as a nursing child, totally dependent upon its mother. As a loving mother would never forget nor forsake her child, neither will the Lord forsake His children. The Father lavishes mother love on each child of the King.
Such is the character of our God. His love surpasses anything we have encountered on this earth. Where human love is limited, His is infinite. Where earthly bonds may fray, His connection to us is unshakable.
A Lavish, Unfailing Love
God’s love for His children is expressed time and time again in Scripture. Through the imagery of family, we are reminded of our place in His eternal household. Consider His words in Jeremiah 31:20, “Is not Israel still my son, my darling child?” says the Lord. “I often have spoken against him, but I still love him. That’s why I long for him and surely will have mercy on him.”
God’s love is unconditional, much like a mother’s. Yet even the strongest earthly bonds pale before the eternal, divine affection of our Creator. Where mothers may falter, God’s love stands unwavering. He watches over us with the care of a compassionate parent, lavishing His love on every child in His Forever Family.
REFLECT & PRAY
“God loves you more than any mother has ever loved her own son or daughter. Everything He does in your life; He does out of love and for love’s sake. He allows even the hard times for your benefit” (Stanley).
Father, thank You for Your caring and loving nature, just like a mother’s. You are gentle and compassionate as You nestle me in Your loving arms. Thank You for loving me so much that You have written my name on the palm of Your hand.
INSIGHT
Your Name Engraved on His Hands
But there’s more.
Isaiah 49:16 offers a tender and breathtaking revelation of God’s love. “Behold, I have engraved you on the palms of my hands. . ..” These words speak volumes about His commitment to His children, carrying a meaning both profoundly symbolic and intensely personal.
During Old Testament times, it was customary for servants to have the names of their masters engraved on their hands. This engraving served as a mark of ownership, a permanent reminder of their relationship with their master. Today, we might compare it to the branding of livestock, a symbol of identity and belonging. Typically, these engravings were reserved for the servant and meant to signify allegiance to their master.
But God’s declaration in Isaiah 49 turns this custom on its head. Instead of the servant bearing the master’s name, we find God, the Master of all creation, engraving the names of HIS children on His hands. It’s an extraordinary reversal, one that signifies something far more significant than ownership. It is a declaration of loyalty, love, and eternal remembrance.
The Permanence of His Love
The Hebrew word used for “engraved” in this verse is chaqaq, which means “to carve, chisel, or hollow out.” This isn’t a temporary mark drawn with ink or a surface-level inscription that fades with time. “It’s enduring, permanently etched into Him.” Gary Smith elaborates, “This is not a tattoo or something written with ink that fades or can be washed away; this is something carved into His metaphorical flesh.”
Think of the painstaking effort required to engrave something into stone or metal. It’s not a fleeting process but a deliberate act, one that leaves a lasting mark. This is the imagery God uses to illustrate His devotion to those who belong to Him. Your name and the depth of His love for you are carved into His hands forever.
And it’s not simply an abstract thought. Just as we might tie a string around our finger to remember something important, God has chosen to keep us constantly before Him. The engraving on His palms serves as an eternal reminder of His children, their significance, and their place in His heart.
“Behold, Look!”
But there’s even more.
The verse begins with the word “Behold” or “See,” depending on the translation, which is an invitation to pause, reflect, and truly grasp what is being revealed. What does this suggest? The Father is quite literally beckoning us to look at His hands, to see the names He has engraved there out of love. Every time He looks, He is reminded of you—not that He could ever forget.
And more than just a general declaration, this is personal. To each of His children, He says, “Look, My child. See your name carved into My hands. This is My promise to you. I will never forget you. You are mine, and I love you beyond measure.”
A Love Beyond Comprehension
This act transcends mere symbolism. It points forward to the ultimate expression of God’s love found in Christ. On the cross, the hands of Jesus bore the wounds of sacrifice, a permanent reminder of the price He paid for each of us. When we imagine God showing us His hands, our names are tied to that incredible act of love. Those outstretched palms, marked by both engraving and sacrifice, declare that we are never forgotten and never forsaken.
Isaiah 49:16 isn’t just a poetic metaphor; it’s a portrait of divine commitment. Even when we feel far from Him, when life’s circumstances try to convince us otherwise, His hands tell a different story. They affirm His unshakable love and the truth that we are forever engraved in His care.
An Invitation to Trust
The Father’s love is more than mere sentiment; it’s a bond forged in permanence and pain, a love that cost Him everything and yet is freely given. When He shows you His hands, He’s not only proclaiming His love but inviting you to trust in it wholeheartedly.
Today, take a moment to reflect on this imagery. Picture your name on His hands, engraved as a sign of belonging. It’s not something He takes lightly, and neither should we. This isn’t the love of a master dictating allegiance; this is the love of a God who claims you as His child, a God who says, “You are mine, and I will never forget you.”
With a little bit of sanctified imagination, we can connect the dots. Visualize that nail-scarred hands of the Lord Jesus Christ reaching out to you right now. Can you see them? The very spot where the nails pierced His hands runs straight through your name, slightly obscured by His blood, which has covered them. He has made you clean, whole, remembered, and forgiven. Your name is written on His hand forever, sealed by His love and blood.
His hands bear the proof of His unrelenting love. May that truth be etched just as deeply into our hearts as our names are on His hands.
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© Dr. H 2025
Dr H Reflections 