Tattoos and Engravings

"Behold, I have engraved you on the palms of my hands;
    your walls are continually before me." (Isaiah 49:16)

When I first considered writing these devotionals, I asked my friends on Facebook to tell me what their favorite scripture is. I got this one about three times. I think that speaks volumes about believers.

We take strength and comfort in knowing we belong to God.

I have three tattoos. Each one means something special to me. One is a combination of the meaning of my kids' names. One is a quill pen (writing), with three tiny hearts (my husband and children), and the inscription COL317 (Colossians 3:17, which I blogged about earlier). The third is Hebrew, eshet chayil (that's the woman in Proverbs 31, and it means woman of valor).

Each of those tattoos was somewhat painful to have done. And they're permanent. To have them removed is even more painful, I'm told, and it's an expensive procedure. More costly than the original tattoo. So before I got my tattoos, I thought about it. I considered it. I weighed questions. And then I got them (not all at once). And now, when anyone asks about my ink, I'm proud to explain what each tattoo means.

Engravings are much the same. I wear my grandmother's wedding band alongside my own. Engraved on the inside are my grandparents' initials and their wedding date: EM to CM 8-22-25. Almost 100 years, and the engraving is still clear. To remove it would destroy the slender band.

If my tattoos and the engraving on that ring--and what they represent--mean that much to me, how much more do I mean to God that He engraved my name on His hand? My name. Your name. The name of every one of His children.

Engraved on His hand.

That's permanent. I belong to Him. I can choose to reject God, but He's not going to remove my name or cover it up like that ex-boyfriend's or girlfriend's name.

Engraved.

Think about that. Think about the assurance of belonging to the Most High God. The Creator.

I will never be worthy of having my name on His hand. But thanks be for grace and mercy and forgiveness. Because without those, my name would not be there.

FOOD FOR THOUGHT:

• This blog is all about encouragement, so how can you use this verse to encourage someone today? How can you use this verse to show how God loves us?