Inscribed

Standing outside the gates of heaven, I saw God and made a mad dash for His throne room. Running as fast as my legs could take me, I came nearer to Him. But suddenly I was jerked to a stop, and I tripped and fell flat on my face. Feeling sharp pain around my ankle, I looked down to see a shackle binding me to a heavy weight. Not just any weight. This weight was made up of all my sins, all my wrong doings, everything. I picked myself up off the ground, hoping that a few good deeds could take me a little closer. But again as I ran to my Creator, I was rudely jerked to a halt and unable to go any further. This left me outside the gates, with no way to reach Him. "He doesn't want a sinner like me there anyways." Soon, I realized I was not alone. Behind me I saw a man. He picked up my weight, which surprised me. How could an average man pick up such heavy sins? Then I knew, this man was not ordinary.

He took my sins, released me from my shackles, and came to speak with me. "Your sins are forgiven. Go, run, He's waiting for you." The significance of what he said hit me full force. I could now enter the gates. I could find the embrace of my Creator. I began walking again, and turned back to the man who had taken my burden from me. "Do you do this for everyone?" I asked. 
"I offer to do this for everyone," he replied with sad eyes. 
"You just offer? Does not everyone take this awesome opportunity to be freed and come running Home?" And so he launched into an explanation that blew my mind...

"Not everyone accepts the liberty I have to give. Some people don't realize their burden at all, and others don't believe that my Father or I exist. Some go from day to day believing life is nothing more than an accident." He took a deep breath. "Others believe that their good deeds will pull stronger than the sins that hold them back. But their good deeds are no where close to perfection. That's where I step in. By removing the burden, by taking away the sin, you're free now to see my Father in all His glory, and you too are made righteous through me."

I absently wiped at the tears running down my face. Not only were my sins forgiven, but I was now qualified to sit in the presence of the Most High God. Quietly, I asked the question pressing on my heart and mind. "Why?" A soft smile spread across his face. I thought he found the question funny, and decided to reword it. "Why would such a powerful God want a rebel, a sinner, a broken person, like me? Why would He go through so much trouble?"

"You're no longer a sinner, you're no longer a rebel. And baby girl, you're no longer broken. Love conquers all. And God's love is greater than any force in the universe. Because of His grace, given through me, your sins are gone. Because of that forgiveness, your rebellion has been erased. And because of my sacrifice, your brokeness is now whole. His love helped me overcome death. His love breaks the bondages that keep you from Him. His love heals the deepest wounds that so many believe they need to carry."

The thought overwhelmed me, so I walked in silence until we came to the outside of God's throne room. "Can I go in there?" 
"Boldly," he replied. The joy on his face gave me the reassurance I needed.

When I entered into His courts, my heart was saturated with thanksgiving, and my soul was lost in praise. Though I knew I had messed up, I also knew that the burden was now gone. I belonged here. When I neared God, I picked up my pace. "Beloved," was all I heard as I got closer. The distance between us was soon gone and I was at the feet of my Lord. Comforting thoughts, full of love and compassion, continued to float through my mind. He loved me. He really truly loved me. Then I saw His palms, and my heart skipped a beat.

Inscribed on the palms of His hands were the names of all His children, all His created, from the beginning to the end of time. I couldn't read them all, some were in foreign writings, but I knew in my heart that these were the names of every person that had come into existence. When I found my name, my heart swelled with joy.

"I never forgot you. I always loved you. I planned your days before you were in your mother's womb. You are Mine." The words came as a surprise to me. The old feeling of guilt and shame crept in, but God knew this and addressed it. "You are fully forgiven, righteous in My sight. Never put the shackles back on. I want you, here with Me, free from your guilt. That's what I've given to you. Don't let go."

And here I understood, here I knew, that inscribed on the palms of His hands were people He loved undeniably. People He longed for. People He sent His son for. People He designed, created, called, ordained. People He forgave.

People like you and me.

Inscribed in the palm of His hand,
Daddy's Girl

Isaiah 49:16
 "See, I have inscribed you on the palms of My hands;
      Your walls are continually before Me."
 

2 thoughts from others:

Horsie Girl said...

This is your best post yet. I really love this post. Keep on Bloggin Jordan!

Unknown said...

Thank you for this, Jordan. I hope you don't mind if I copy it to share it with my Sunday School class, with your blog address, of course! Sometimes a fellow teenager can just say things better than any teacher could and this is remarkable. -Cindy L.

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