"But Zion said, The LORD hath forsaken me, and my Lord hath forgotten me. Can a woman forget her sucking child, that she should not have compassion on the son of her womb? yea, they may forget, yet will I not forget thee. Behold, I have graven thee upon the palms of my hands; thy walls are continually before me," ISA 49:14-16.

 Have you ever thought about it, when you go through an old photo album, how much children have changed in a short time? Even the adults often look so much younger in just ten years or so! In this world of change there is One who never changes, our lovely Lord and Saviour.

We read in MAL 3:6, "For I am the LORD, I change not; therefore ye sons of Jacob are not consumed." This unchangeable character of God becomes such a blessed consolation for Christ's church in times when His foolish sheep go astray, PSA 119:176.

We can look at old photos of our parents or grandparents who have passed into eternity, and realize what Job said, "My days are swifter than a weaver's shuttle,"--our days go by as a flash of light, JOB 7:6. Sometimes we can scarcely put a name on a face that was once so familiar. Our text asks, "Can a woman forget her sucking child, that she should not have compassion on the son of her womb?" and then concludes, "yea, they may forget, yet will I not forget thee."

Oh, beloved, what a consolation God's dear children have in the unchanging character of God! His love for His dear children far excels parental love. The LORD loved them from eternity, "Yea, I have loved thee with an everlasting love: therefore with lovingkindness have I drawn thee," JER 31:3.

He also loves them to eternity--our text says, "Behold, I have graven thee upon the palms of my hands; thy walls are continually before me."

These are the consolations the Lord gave unto His dear children when they cried out, as in our text, "The LORD hath forsaken me, and my Lord hath forgotten me." So often God's dear children stray away from their God, and become a lost sheep on the mountains of sin.

When the Lord withdraws His blessed nearness, they begin to fear that the Lord has forgotten them; then they feel as if the Lord is removed as far as the east is from the west. Oh, beloved, has not your soul cried out with David? "From the end of the earth will I cry unto thee, when my heart is overwhelmed: lead me to the rock that is higher than I," PSA 61:2.

As we become older, does not our faith's view of that blessed Rock of our salvation sometimes grow dim, when the sins of our youth seem to stand between? Then what a blessing that we can pray God will forget!

David saw by faith that God could forget his sins, "Remember not the sins of my youth, nor my transgressions," without forgetting His love for David, "according to thy mercy remember thou me for thy goodness' sake, O LORD," PSA 25:7.

When our heavenly Father sees our names written in the palms of Christ's hands, then our names are ever before Him, never to be forgotten. It was through faith in that same sacrifice that the prophet said, "Thou hast in love to my soul delivered it from the pit of corruption: for thou hast cast all my sins behind thy back," ISA 38:17.

Our text says, "Can a woman forget her sucking child, that she should not have compassion on the son of her womb? yea, they may forget, yet will I not forget thee. Behold, I have graven thee upon the palms of my hands; thy walls are continually before me." Amen.