Daily Devotional For Saturday, July 25, 2026
Good morning and happy weekend. Our daily devotional for today comes from Isaiah 49:14-16a:
“Yet Jerusalem says, “The LORD has deserted us; the Lord has forgotten us.” (15) “Never! Can a mother forget her nursing child? Can she feel no love for the child she has borne? But even if that were possible, I would not forget you! (16) See, I have written your name on the palms of my hands” (NLT).
There are times we all feel as if the Lord has abandoned us. We will feel this way at times of duress, the unexpected death of a loved one, overburdening debt, debilitating illnesses and our own disobedience. Yet, no matter what we do, the Lord never abandons His children. The Bible is clear there is nothing that can ever separate God and His love for us from us. God through the Apostle Paul reminds of this in Romans 8:35-39. Jesus has reminded us of this in a promise found in Matthew 28:20b. In verse 14, I want to get out a violin and start playing them.
Israel’s sense of abandonment comes due to their own abandonment from the Lord. They sought other gods and idols and after repeated warnings from God through His prophets of punishment and conquest by other nations, they now whine and want to blame the Lord. It’s their fault. Israel sounds like a spoiled child who was warned repeatedly by their loving Parent (God). Israel disobeyed and God disciplined them. When disciplined by God (their Parent), this unruly child (Israel) shouts at Him, “I hate you.”
If you put yourself in Israel’s shoes, you may understand why they are whining and complaining. There were so few Israelites left in Jerusalem at this time. Babylon under King Nebuchadnezzar had led 3 military campaigns against Israel in 606 BC, 598 BC and in the third and final attack in 586 BC, he totally destroyed Judah, the Temple, and the wall around Jerusalem. He forced exiles to walk across a 1,000 miles of desert to be slaves. Many died and the flesh of their rotting corpses was consumed by vultures. The vultures and the elements leave nothing but skeletal remains. These are the bones that God used in a vision to Ezekiel called “The Vision of the Valley of Dry Bones” in Ezekiel 27:1-14.
Those left in Jerusalem by King Nebuchadnezzar see empty streets, hear no joyful music, see destruction and devastation everywhere. When we read verse 16, the imagery is of God holding out His hands before us so that we can see our names written on His hands. These are the same hands that will be stretched out on a cross with nails through them for us out of love for us. The Lord has never abandoned His children and He has never abandoned you. This is why God emphasizes this emphatically in verse 15.
Reflection Assignment: Think back over your life at the times you felt God and/or God’s love was not with you. What was going on in your life at that time? God loves us and because He loves us, He will discipline us. Job put it this way in Job 13:15, “Though He slay me, yet will I hope in Him” (NIV).
Scripture To Meditate On: Hebrews 11:5-6, “And have you completely forgotten this word of encouragement that addresses you as a father addresses his son? It says, “My son, do not make light of the Lord’s discipline, and do not lose heart when He rebukes you, (6) because the Lord disciplines the one He loves, and He chastens everyone He accepts as His son” (NLT).
Prayer To Pray: “Dear Lord, thank You for Your loving hand of discipline in my life. Thank You that You love me that much to correct me so that I become more like Jesus. You are a great God . Please forgive me when I whine as if You have abandoned me. I love You Lord. In Jesus’ name, Amen!”
I love you Southside! – Pastor Kelly