God’s Tattoos
The practice of tattooing one’s body has been around for a long time, but it seems to be more in style now than ever before. What is interesting to me is the design or message one decides to tattoo. I have seen a girlfriend or boyfriend’s name, a child’s picture, a flag or club symbol. Sometimes it is just the word, “Mom”, or a graphic design or flower that is imprinted on the skin. Whatever the choice, it is there for life.
Tattoos are ever before you. It draws the attention of those who see it, and for whatever the reason for the tattoo, it is a constant reminder of its original intent. My wife has the habit of writing notes to herself on her hand. She does this to help her remember some important appointment or thing to do. I guess this is like a temporary tattoo. Tattoos originate in the mind and then are placed on the skin so as to remain ever visible and remembered.
Dr. Norman Vincent Peale relates this story from his book, Power of the Plus Factor: ”Once walking through the twisted little streets of Kowloon in Hong Kong, I came upon a tattoo studio. In the window were displayed samples of the tattoos available. On the chest or arms you could have tattooed an anchor or flag or mermaid or whatever. But what struck me with force was three words that could be tattooed on one’s flesh, ‘Born to Lose’. I entered the shop in astonishment and, pointing to those words and asked the Chinese tattoo artist, “Does anyone really have that terrible phrase, Born to Lose, tattooed on his body?” He replied, “Yes, sometimes.” “The Chinese man simply tapped his forehead and in broken English said, ‘Before tattoo on body, tattoo on mind.’”
Did you know that God also has tattoos? In Isaiah 49.16, God says: “Behold, I have engraved you on the palms of my hands…” This statement comes in response to the unbelief of the people to God’s care for them. They thought that God had forsaken them. God was amazed at their unbelief for He had tattooed not just their name, but had engraved “them”, all of “them” on His hand. Their weaknesses, their doubts, their past, present and future, their hopes, their desires, and the fullness of who they are…all was engraved on His hands.
God’s tattoos are saying, “I will never leave you or forsake you”, “I don’t forget a thing”, “Everything about you is engraved on Me”, “I don’t just remember your name, but I am always conscious of all of you”, “You are ever before Me.” Everyone who knows God and looks to Him can see you there as well. The people of God are the apple of His eye. As Isaiah says, it is more probable that a mother would forget her nursing child, than God forgetting His beloved people.
We can rest in this fact: Just as Christ is in us, we are in Christ.
Scriptures to meditate on:
Is. 49.16; II Cor. 3.3; Heb. 13.5; Ps. 94.14; Col. 3.1-4