March 4, 2023
“… I will not forget thee. Behold, I have graven thee upon the palms of My hands.” Isaiah 49:15b-16a KJV
The heart-melting, confirmational exchange between Thomas and Jesus eight days after His resurrection (John 20:26-28) brings to light something about Jesus; something that none of us would likely expect: He—who came to heal and make whole His beloved people—kept His wounds. It is profoundly astounding. The sinless, spotless Lamb of God who came to render each of us perfect, purchasing us with His own blood, chose to keep His wounds.
Yet, He who will eternally occupy the throne of His kingdom as King of kings and Lord of lords has promised to remember [our] sin no more (Jeremiah 31:34). Therefore, we can be certain that He will never throw our past sins back up to our face. No, that is not the reason He chose to keep His wounds. But might it be that the sight of His hands will serve as a visual reminder of His amazing love? In the beauty and bliss of heaven, we will walk with Him and hold His hands. Do you not want to kiss those hands right now? In the beauty and bliss of heaven, we will sit at His pierced feet, listening and learning with rapt, undivided attention. From our hearts will flow new praise songs of His love and salvation.
Salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb! Revelation 7:10 NKJV
The forgiveness of our Lord is so far-reaching that His atoning blood is more than sufficient to provide cover for anyone. Let us therefore pray that we will see all people, regardless of background or any other difference, as being well within His reach. In Acts 17:27 we read He is not far from each of us. To see anyone as “unreachable” is a premature judgement. We are counseled to judge nothing before the [proper] time, until the Lord comes . . . 1 Corinthians 4:5a
Among those in the past who lived and died without ever hearing the name of Christ, there are those who lived up to the light that they received through the awesome majesty of nature and the whisperings of God’s Holy Spirit. God has never failed to provide a witness to His goodness and grace. The heartbreaking story of all the male babies in and around Bethlehem who died by instigation of Satan after the birth of Jesus (Matthew 2:16) is a representation of those we will meet in heaven who have yet to learn the specific details of the plan of salvation.
Like Thomas, we all at some point have hard questions, some of which may not be answered this side of heaven. But if the most important question is answered, that being the identity of Jesus, that is sufficient! Like Thomas, I must learn to trust totally in “My Lord and my God!” and the merit of His blood, shed willingly on behalf of all. With His special love for children in mind, let us take an exciting peek into the future with the prophet Isaiah:
But with righteousness He shall judge the poor, And decide with equity for the meek of the earth; The wolf will also dwell with the lamb, The leopard shall lie down with the young goat, The calf and the young lion and the fatling together; And a little child shall lead them. Isaiah 11:4a,6