Your Names Are Written In Heaven

Once when preparing a Sunday School lesson, I came across the following verse.

Behold, I have engraved you on the palms of my hands; your walls are continually before me.

(Isaiah 49:16 WEB)

Having been an engraver for a few years by then, that verse struck me. In order to engrave something, you need a tool capable of making a cut into the material. A brass graver will not cut steel. Then once the engraving is finished, it is not easily erased. The engraving is not on the surface, but below the surface, IN the material itself. To remove hand cut engraving, one must physically remove the material that has been engraved to a depth greater than the deepest cut of the engraving.

These facts prompted in me the following thoughts.

Who is able to make a mark in the hand of God besides God himself? Once there, who could remove the substance of God’s hand, to remove any name engraved there? And how much deeper is his love for us than any depth we can comprehend, than any puny scratch I have ever made in gold or steel?

I give eternal life to them. They will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand.  My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all. No one is able to snatch them out of my Father’s hand.

(John 10 :28-29 WEB) 

Not only is no one strong enough to snatch us out of the father’s hand, but even if they could pry open his fingers, they would see that we are engraved there, un removable, forever one with Him.

But he who is joined to the Lord becomes one spirit with him.

(1 Corinthians 6:17 ESV)

In various seasons of life, we may have prosperity or scarcity. We may sense a great usefulness in God’s kingdom, or feel little used and useless. But even if we were to cast out demons in his name, he directs us to a more joyful truth to rest in.

Behold, I give you authority to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy. Nothing will in any way hurt you. Nevertheless, don’t rejoice in this, that the spirits are subject to you, but rejoice that your names are written in heaven.

(Luke 10:19-20 WEB)

And where are they written?

Behold, I have engraved you on the palms of my hands...

(Isaiah 49:16 WEB)

The context of this verse was in the fear Israel had that God had forgotten them. Dear brother or sister in Christ, you are secure in God’s love. He will not forget you!

But there is something that he has forgotten.

For I will be merciful to their unrighteousness. I will remember their sins and lawless deeds no more.

(Hebrews 8:12 WEB)

Because Jesus died for our sins, was buried, and rose again, forgiveness of sins is proclaimed in his name. And all who believe are cleansed once for all!

And though we are so close to God now, even engraved into his hands, one thing has been removed from us forever.

As far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our transgressions from us.

(Psalms 103:12 WEB)

This is the will of my Father who sent me, that of all he has given to me I should lose nothing, but should raise him up at the last day. This is the will of the one who sent me, that everyone who sees the Son, and believes in him, should have eternal life; and I will raise him up at the last day.

(John 6:39-40 WEB)

Sisters and brothers, no matter what happens, not one of us will be lost. Because Jesus will not lose us. He still bears the marks of the nails. And our names are forever engraved on his hands.