Word-Filled Wednesday ~#112~ Beautiful Wounds

"Can a mother forget the baby at her breast and have no compassion on the child she has borne?

Though she may forget, I will not forget you!

See, I have engraved you on the palms of my hands . . ."

~Isaiah 49:15-16

"Since you are precious and honored in My sight, and because I love you." 

~Isaiah 43:4

Yesterday, at work, a lady came in with her mom who was obviously in the mid-stage of Alzheimer's. But what really struck me was that she looked SO MUCH like my mom. Her features, her mannerisms, the way she would simply stand next to her daughter with a wondering, confused look as her daughter explained things and led her around. It was startling and I was, frankly, a little unnerved by it. 

My mother passed away in September of 2011 ~ how can it be possible that it has already been so long? The last few days were so sad and painful, but her actual passing was peaceful and almost sweet. With one hand, I was holding hers and my other hand was stroking her hair. She just simply slipped away. 

Alzheimer's is such a sad ending. I want to believe that she knew I was there, but I am not sure. The last person she actually responded to was my husband (the night before she passed), when she reached up to kiss him good-bye and tell him that she loved him. He got her last kiss, her last "I love you" . . . and then . . . just that fast "she" was gone again. 

I don't mean to depress you, but to encourage you with the Scripture, above. It encourages me, greatly. My mom LOVED her family. She LOVED my daddy and my brother and I. If she had had control of her mind, she would never have "chosen" to forget us, our relationship to her, or how much she loved us. But in the end, all we could hope is that whether she knew who we were or not, that at least she knew that she was with someone who LOVED her. I think she did.

But I never have to ask these questions about God. Because we are precious in His sight and because He loves us, He will NEVER forget us. He loves us so much that He has engraved us onto the palms of His hands! And not only Him, but His Son, Jesus Christ has eternal wounds ~ beautiful wounds ~ because of His love for us. 

Jesus' wounds are the eternal reminder of the expensive, loving price that was paid for us ~ for you ~ for me. 

I know my mom struggled with understanding who I was, but God NEVER will. He didn't NEED to engrave me onto the palm of His hand ~ He WANTED to. His demonstration of His deep, abiding love for me causes me to bring glory to Him and praise Him all the more. 

This may seem like extraordinary measures to prove His love, but I serve an extraordinary God ~ I have been redeemed by the precious, sinless blood of His Son that was shed from His beautiful wounds . . . 

I will remember that as long as I live.

Blessings from Ohio . . . Kim<><