There Is No Greater Love

I’ve been to lots of weddings. Maybe it’s because it was the wedding of my youngest daughter. Or maybe it’s because I’m older and have experienced more of life. But the words spoken by the minister in her wedding were the most touching and sweet of all the weddings I have ever attended.

 I saw the tears welling up in my new son-in-law’s eyes as the minister asked them to take each other’s hands and look at them. He explained to my daughter that the hands she was holding would be the hands that would love her and work for her. They would be the hands that would protect her and comfort her. They would be the hands that would play with her children and lead her family. They were the hands she would hold as they prayed together. They would be the hands that would love her when she grows old.

In the same manner, my son-in-law looked at my daughter’s hands to consider that those would be the hands that would love him and hold him after a long day. They would be the hands that would make their house a home. They would be the hands that would comfort him in his weakest moments. They would be the hands that would hold his children and wipe their tears. They would be the hands that would love him when he grows old.

There was something tangible about that reminder of love by looking at their hands. Hands can tell a story of the life they have lived. My dry, wrinkled hands tell that I have lived much (and washed hands a lot as a nurse!) My grandson’s little hands are so soft and unspoiled by the world. Some hands are calloused or have grease stains from hard work. You can tell a lot about a person by looking at their hands.

Someone else had marks on His hands. I’m sure that as a carpenter, He had callouses and scars. But the greatest scars were those in his hands and side where He paid a debt that we could not pay. And the great mystery of that love is that my name is somehow etched in those nail prints. He died for me. Isaiah 49:16 says, “See, I have engraved you on the palms of my hands.” Etchings made by suffering and love and sacrifice. Planned before the creation of the world to redeem us. To save us from our own depravity.

Think about that. YOUR name is engraved on His palm as a constant reminder of His love for you. YOUR name is ever before Him. He will not forget you. When He looks at those scars, He sees you. And me. Unfathomable love. Love that creates, chooses, redeems, forgives, changes, keeps and so much more until that glorious day when we run our fingers over OUR name, engraved on His palm.

Be sure that your name is there. Know the One who is the true Bridegroom. Do you know why Jesus is called the Bridegroom? Because God created us for union with Himself, much as a bride and groom are united as one. This union of God with His creation is a jealous one. He wants preeminence over everything else in our lives. Just as a bride doesn’t share her love with another man, believers don’t let other things come before their relationship with God. The book of Hosea compares our idolatrous ways of placing other things before God to a wife committing adultery against her husband. He is a jealous God, not because He is domineering, but because He wants to bless us with the special relationship of great intimacy with Him. Just as a bride eagerly anticipates her wedding day to be joined with her groom, we eagerly anticipate the return of Jesus, our bridegroom. What a sacred romance!

If you have questions about those nail-scarred hands, please read The Message at the top of my blog. Feel free to email me with questions about how to know YOUR name is engraved on His palm. There is no greater love! There is no better romance!