The NIV 365 Day Devotional

God’s Devotion for You

Did you know that God has a tattoo? Not a literal tattoo but a metaphorical one—a tattoo that showcases his grace toward undeserving sinners. The image in Isaiah 49:15–16 is both provocative and life-giving.

God appeals to the love that a mother has for a newborn child: “Can a mother forget the baby at her breast and have no compassion on the child she has borne?” (Isa 49:15). For the most part, the answer is no. Most mothers don’t toss their newborns to the curb. But some do. Sometimes mothers abandon their children. But God’s love is not like human love: “Though she may forget, I will not forget you!” (v. 15). The “you” God is committed to is the people of Israel, and they have been sinning against God for hundreds of years. God has every reason to discard them. But he chooses to love both them and us. How do we know this? Because he has tattooed our names on his hands: “See, I have engraved you on the palms of my hands” (v. 16).

In the ancient world, tattoos were a sign of devotion and commitment. One king named Ptolemy IV tattooed his body with ivy leaves to show his devotion to the god Dionysus, the god of wine. Yahweh, the God of Israel, draws on the practice of tattooing and says that he has tattooed your name on his hands to show his devotion to you. Not because of your robust, unswerving devotion to him; that does not exist. But solely because of his devotion to you. God loves you not because of what you have done, but because of what Jesus has done on your behalf.

Taken from the NIV Upside-Down Kingdom Bible.