I heard a friend confess the other day that she hasn’t talked to God in a long time. She doesn’t feel worthy to even start a conversation with him since she has neglected her relationship with him for so long.

Do you ever wonder if God even remembers your name? Does he want to have a conversation with you? Did you know that God got very radical in order to remind you that you are always in his thoughts? He says:

Can a woman forget her nursing child, that she should not have compassion on the son of her womb? Yes, they may forget, yet I will not forget you. Behold, I have indelibly imprinted (tattooed a picture of) you on the palm of each of My hands (Isaiah 49:15-16 AMP).

Yep, “tattooed” is the word God chose to describe his immeasurable and enduring love for you. God didn’t choose a unicorn, butterfly, or an eagle for a tattoo. He chose to tattoo your face on the palm of each hand, and every time he lifts his hands, it is you he gazes at.

He did this on purpose. God wanted you to know that he permanently marked himself to declare his love for you. It was painful, laborious, and costly.

If you look closely at his hands, you can see the nail scars intertwined with your picture. Surprisingly, those scars give your face an eternal glow. No makeup needed.

Now it’s your turn: Why would Isaiah 49:15-16 and the thought of God’s tattoos be worth your reflection this Lenten season?  What would you choose for an image if you were to declare your love for Jesus in a tattoo?

Susan’s detour: Hopefully, I’ve caused a few of you to grab your Bibles, but before you start quoting Leviticus 19:27-28 to me and get in a huff about tattoos, consider these comments by DeAnna Putnam, Ancient Pathways Researcher for the Sentinel Group:

The traditionally accepted prohibition against tattooing exists in Leviticus 19:28; but this is a traditional translation, because “tattoo” is not the certain translation. It’s just a good guess. The Hebrew word “qaqa” shows up only here, and exists nowhere else, so there is no way of knowing for sure what it really means.

The prohibition against tattooing comes last in a list that includes orders not to shave, or shape a beard, or cut one’s hair short, especially on the sides.

So, if one were to be fully honest about not wanting to do anything that indicated pagan behavior, according to legalistic guidelines, then no Christian man should shave, trim his beard, or wear his hair short.

So, you can look at this post from several viewpoints–focus on the main point of God’s enduring love for you at Calvary or focus on a discussion of tattoos. Either way, I’d enjoy hearing your comments.

Susan Gaddis, Helping you build a spiritual legacy

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