Today my wife and I taught Sunday School in our ward. Our subject was Isaiah 40-49. As I read the material, I was struck by the beautiful words of compassion and comfort that Isaiah offers to Israel (“Comfort Ye, O Comfort Ye” is the first verse of Chapter 40). I loved that Isaiah speaks so powerfully of the Lord’s never ending compassion and care for his people. A couple of verses in particular resonate with me each time I read these chapters.

13 ¶Sing, O heavens; and be joyful, O earth; and break forth into singing, O mountains: for the Lord hath comforted his people, and will have mercy upon his afflicted.

 14 But Zion said, The Lord hath forsaken me, and my Lord hath forgotten me.

 15 Can a woman forget her sucking child, that she should not have compassion on the son of her womb? yea, they may forget, yet will I not forget thee.

 16 Behold, I have graven thee upon the palms of my hands; thy walls are continually before me.

I love the powerful image that these verses invoke. When I think of the nails driven into the saviors palms and wrists, it is almost overwhelming to think that it was done for me and for each of us. Yet, God literally engraved each of us on the plan of his hands. When Christ appeared to his disciples and to the Nephites, he showed them the wounds on his hands. Those wounds remain as a tangible symbol of the atonement. As a tangible reminder of how much Christ gave up for each one of us.

Having a young child (3.5 months) helps me to really connect with verse 15 as well. As I have seen my wife feeding my daughter, I have witnessed the incredibly powerful bond that has formed between them. Yet, were we not nurtured at our Heavenly Father’s side in the pre-earth life? Does he not love us and care for us with the same level of devoted compassion as a mother feeding a child.

I testify that the Lord truly does love us with that same devoted love. He loved us so much that he sent his firstborn and beloved son to die for us. Christ loves us so much that he suffered the atonement and forever engraved us on the palm of his hands. I am so grateful for that love and bear my witness of it.



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