Day 29—Monday, April 7, 2025

Isaiah 49:15

Can a woman forget her nursing child and have no compassion on the son of her womb? Even these may forget, but I will not forget you."

In my faith journey, understanding God as a maternal source of compassion has been essential. Scriptures like Psalm 139:10, Colossians 3:3, and Psalm 17:8 portray God as holding, hiding, and enveloping us— representations that beckon us deeper into experiencing God’s security, nurturance, and strength. The bond between a parent and child is often assumed to be unbreakable, but life sometimes tells a more complicated story. In my work as a counselor, I have witnessed the pain of separation—between parent and child, between generations—through tragic cycles of addiction, trauma, and loss. Many of the parents I work with love their children deeply, yet overwhelming barriers prevent them from expressing that love in the ways they wish. And many children, though loved, experience feeling forgotten. Society and the Church have yet to bring about a world where these painful experiences can be fully reconciled. We pray for God’s Kingdom to come.

To find hope and understanding into how we might move toward a more reconciled world today, we can turn to Isaiah 49. In verses 1 and 5, God speaks to His "child," Zion, emphasizing that He knew this child’s essence before they were born and saw them in splendor. This promise—that our essence is known and loved before we exist—is a truth rooted in belonging and security. It’s not exclusive but extended to all, as shown in the gospel story.

Theologian Dallas Willard suggests sanctification isn’t shaped by rules and rigidity, but by internalizing the character of those whom we’re attached to. Depending on our upbringing, we may have internalized negative messages, antithetical to our needs for belonging and security. But scripture offers a God whose essential character is rooted in compassion and steadfast love. God is described with the hebrew word, hesed, in the Old Testament over 200 times, a term that means "faithful", “compassionate” or "unchanging love”. This love sticks with us. This love provides a secure place - a whole, attuned, nurturing presence (Isaiah 66:13, Hosea 11:3-4, Psalm 131:2) with whom we can securely attach. It is from this place of security that our sense of self is bolstered as well, blessing our neighbor and community from this “secure base” found in God’s love.

It can be difficult to find time to simply receive God’s sanctifying hesed love that Isaiah shows is “as a river”, where we are to be “nursed… carried on the hip” of God (Isaiah 66:12). Life goes into task-driven default. But Isaiah 49:15 offers a God who calls us to receive a love that is not dependent on circumstance, status, or performance. It is steadfast, woven into the very fabric of who we are.

A Moment of Reflection and Prayer

Take a moment of quiet to rest in God’s presence without rushing to the next task. Let this be a time to remember that you are held, seen, and never forgotten. If your mind wanders, you can anchor yourself in these words: "Even these may forget, but I will not forget you."

Closing prayer: God, we take this moment to remember you, knowing that you never forget us. Help us to rest in your compassion, to trust in your unfailing love. May we reflect your delight back into the world, especially toward those who feel unseen and alone. We pray this in Jesus’ name, Amen.

-Jordan McLamb