CHAPLAIN'S CHATS

Written in God's Hands
by Rev. Kathy Bird-DeYoung
Chaplain, The Suites at Holly Creek and The Village

In the hospitals and skilled nursing communities in which I have served as chaplain, I have noticed that medical staff often will write down important things that they need to remember on the palm of their hands. Of course, it's important for these staff members to either write down the information in a different place or act on the information quickly - because otherwise there is the danger of losing the information as they wash their hands.

The prophet Isaiah spoke the words, in italics above, to the people of Israel. However, these are not just words for that time and place. God continues to speak these words to us today through the prophet Isaiah.

Like medical staff, God also, writes important things on His hand. In fact, God has written the most important thing to Him in the palm of His hand - each of our names. Unlike human hands, God's hand will eternally carry our names. This is permanent.

This image, from the Hebrew Scriptures, shows us how important we are to Him. We are precious to God because God created us. God loves us unconditionally. Because of this love for us, God desires to have a relationship with each one of us. In fact, God desired to have a relationship with us so much that He sent His Son to us in the form of an infant.

During this holiday season may each of us grow, in some way, in our relationship with the One who has written each of our names in the palm of His hand.