In our reading from the
prophet Isaiah, God wants to comfort his people (v13).
They feel as if the LORD
has forsaken and forgotten them (v14).
So God asks them a
question, which I want to focus on for a moment, and then the sermon is done:
V15, “Can a mother forget
the baby at her breast and have no compassion on the child she has borne?”
What sort of question do
you think that is?
Technically?
If this were a school
lesson?
A rhetorical question.
A question asked for
effect.
Not necessarily expecting
an answer or seeking information.
God already knows the
answer but he asks the question as part of an argument, to persuade us of
something.
If mum was cross with you
and she said:
“Do you think I’m stupid?
“Do I look as if I was
born yesterday?
They would be rhetorical
questions.
The question is meant to
answer itself.
You’re meant to get the
point, not to say, “well, mum, you don’t look that bright and you are looking
quite old!”
So, what answer do you
think God’s rhetorical question is expecting?
“Can a mother forget the
baby at her breast and have no compassion on the child she has borne?”
What do you think?
What answer would you
give?
Very unlikely.
Normally not.
Mothers’ love for their
children.
They often show amazing compassion
and care.
A mother’s love is
legendary.
Parents normally remember
their children, don’t they?
Even I can remember all of
all of my four children’s names!
I remember them!
V15b, God says: “Though
she [the mother we’re imagining] may forget, I will not forget you!”
Sadly, some parents do
neglect their children.
We don’t always love our
children as well as we should.
But God’s love is greater,
stronger, more long-lasting even than the best mother’s love.
God says, even if a mum
might forget her child, I will never forget my people.
The love divine excels all
other loves.
God’s love is the best
love ever:
It’s a non-stop never
failing never giving up for ever and always love.
V16 is remarkable verse:
God says, “see, I have
engraved you on the palms of my hands”
I sometimes write things
on my hand as a reminder.
Not the best as it
sometimes gets washed off!
It’s very temporary and
unsure.
But it’s as if God has
engraved his peoples’ names on his hands for ever so that he won’t ever forget
them.
God’s love is permeant and
sure.
As we think of God’s
palms, we might think of Jesus dying for us.
Jesus’ love for us meant
he was willing to be crucified for us.
His love for you and me
takes him to the cross.
Let me finish just by
quoting some words from Augustus Toplady’s hymn, A debtor to mercy alone:
Talking
about God, he says:
|
His promise is Yes and Amen,
Nothing could ever stop God loving us, in other
words. |
|
|
My name from the palms of [God’s] hands |
May we know God’s best of all, never failing, never giving up love.
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