Eternal Love
“Remember these things, O Jacob, And Israel, for you are My servant; I have formed you, you are My servant, O Israel, you will not be forgotten by Me.”
Isaiah 44:21 NASBS
As a loving father disciplines his beloved child in order to keep him from harm, so God, who is a Father to His people, disciplines those who rebel against His Word. The Lord chose Abraham in the midst of a dark and idolatrous world, and through him brought forth the nation of Israel. He promised to make them as numerous as the stars of heaven. He clothed them with His truth and made them a people distinct among all the nations of the earth.
The Lord did not set His love upon them because they were greater in number than other nations, for they were the fewest of all peoples, but because He loved them and was faithful to His covenant promises. Though they often turned aside into sin and idolatry, the Lord did not utterly forsake them. Even in their failures, He reminded them, “Remember these things, O Jacob, And Israel, for you are My servant; I have formed you, you are My servant, O Israel, you will not be forgotten by Me.”
God’s chosen people knew what it was to walk in darkness. They had abandoned the Word of the Lord in order to follow the impulses of the flesh and satisfy their sinful desires. Yet even toward undeserving sinners, God remains merciful. Through the prophet Isaiah, pointing forward to the incarnation of Jesus Christ, the Lord declared: “The people who walk in darkness Will see a great light; Those who live in a dark land, The light will shine on them.”
God has never left Himself without a witness, but continually shines the light of His truth into a dark and fallen world. This is true not only of Israel, but of every soul apart from Christ. Humanity is born spiritually blind, wandering in darkness and separated from the life of God because of sin. Yet into that darkness God shines the light of His grace through Jesus Christ.
What was the most atrocious act in human history, the crucifixion of Jesus Christ, became the greatest display of love and mercy the world has ever known. At the cross, the sinless Son of God bore the wrath deserved by sinners so that all who trust in Him might receive forgiveness, reconciliation, and eternal life.
The love the Lord has for His children is far beyond human understanding. The psalmist, under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, gives us a glimpse into the depth of God’s personal care, “For You formed my inward parts; You wove me in my mother’s womb…Your eyes have seen my unformed substance; And in Your book were all written The days that were ordained for me, When as yet there was not one of them.”
Child of God, pause and consider this for a moment, before you ever sought Him, He knew you. Before your eyes were opened to the truth, He saw every sinful thought, every wandering affection, and every act of rebellion, yet He did not cast you away. While you walked in darkness, He pursued you with mercy. In the fullness of time, God awakened your soul through the gospel and revealed to you the glory of His Son upon the cross. He called you out of spiritual death with a sovereign and irresistible love that your heart could no longer deny.
Beloved, meditate upon the immeasurable mercy God has shown you through His Word and through His Son. There is no greater love than this: that one would lay down his life for another, and this is exactly what Jesus Christ has done for His people. If you are in Christ, you are a new creation. Your heart has been changed, and your deepest affections are now being shaped toward loving Him and bringing Him glory. The seed of God within you will not let you remain comfortable in sin, but will continually draw you toward righteousness, holiness, and communion with Him.
Christian, there are seasons when trials, failures, or weakness may tempt you to think God has forgotten you. Yet the cross forever silences those fears. The same God who formed you, redeemed you, and adopted you into His family will never abandon His children. You may feel weak, but His strength is greater than your weakness. You may stumble, but His mercy is deeper than your sin. You may feel forgotten by the world, but heaven itself declares otherwise, “O Israel, you will not be forgotten by Me.”
Therefore, praise Him while He gives you breath. Live for His glory without regret. Fix your eyes upon Christ, for one glorious day He will appear from heaven, and His redeemed people will forever worship and exalt His holy name.