The following is one of a series of short devotionals based on my book, “God’s Love For You”

Nothing in all of creation can separate you from God’s love or pluck you from his hand.

“See, I have engraved you on the palms of my hands; your walls are ever before me.” (Isaiah 49:16)

In one of the most beautiful verses about God’s love, the Bible says that God has engraved you on the palms of his hands. The word used for “engraved” in this verse means to inscribe or carve. Years ago, my husband carved our initials into a tree on a forest walk when our children were small. A decade later, we found the carving, as fresh as the day it was cut, still there on the tree! We had forgotten all about it!

We humans might be forgetful, but God isn’t, and he most certainly won’t forget about you, especially because you are engraved on his palms (metaphorically speaking). This gives us a picture of how eternally precious and significant we are to him. Engraving is permanent, not like a tattoo which can be removed or covered, or ink which can fade. It takes effort to carve or engrave, and it symbolizes a deeply personal and significant relationship. God literally cannot and will not forget about you! You are always on his mind and your concerns are always before him. The verse says that it is you, not just your name, on his hands. In the same verse, God mentions the walls of Jerusalem being “ever before” him. To the Israelites at the time, city walls represented protection and permanence. Your “walls”, or your life, is also before him as he watches over you with love and protection.

You are permanently in his hands, which are large enough to hold all of creation and to protect you from anything that would seek to pluck you from his grip, as Jesus confirmed:

“ … I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand. My Father, which gave them me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father’s hand. I and my Father are one.” (John 10: 28-30)

Nothing in all of creation can separate you from God’s love (Romans 8:38-39) or pluck you from his hand, whether it be your sin, your doubts, your fears, your sickness, your mental health, your failings, your divorce, nor anything in the past, present or future, or any other powers in the universe. Absolutely nothing. You are safe in his palm. The hands that hold you formed you in the first place and first held your own tiny fingers. You are known and loved fully and unconditionally.

God’s hands not only protect and nurture, they mould and transform his creation into beauty. Just as a potter takes piece of clay and transforms it into an exquisite vase, or a carpenter takes a piece of wood and crafts it into a piece of furniture, so God is transforming and changing you into the incredible man or woman he designed you to be. As author and poet George MacDonald once wrote, “His fingers can touch nothing but to mould it into loveliness… because all his works declare him in beauty!” (Wisdom to Live By, Sunrise Books, 1996)

You are permanently carved into God’s firm and powerful hands, where nothing can touch you. Not only that, but whilst there, he is moulding you into everything you were designed to be. May that thought give you peace and hope!

Prayer: Father, thank you for these truths, that I am safe in your hands and that nothing can ever separate me from your love or cause you to loosen your grip on me. May this give me confidence and encourage me to live for your glory as you mould me into the person you created me to be. May my life declare you in beauty Lord. In Jesus Name, Amen.

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