孩提時期，我喜歡集郵。當時我的阿公（福建話的祖父）聽說我有這種嗜好，他就開始每天從辦公室丟棄的信封上，幫我搜集各種郵票。每次我去探望阿公阿嬤時，阿公就會給我一個裝滿各式漂亮郵票的信封。有一次他還笑著對我說：「不管再怎麼忙，我都不會忘記妳哦！」

阿公並不善於公開表達感情，但我能深深感受到他對我的愛。上帝以更加深刻的方式，向以色列民表達了祂的愛，祂藉著以賽亞對百姓說：「我卻不忘記你」（以賽亞書49章15節）。以色列百姓因往日拜偶像及不順從上帝，而被擄到巴比倫受苦，他們悲嘆說：「主忘記了我」（14節）。但上帝對祂子民的愛沒有改變，祂應許會赦免他們，並讓他們回歸故土（8-13節）。

上帝告訴以色列民：「我將你銘刻在我掌上」（16節），今日祂也這樣告訴我們。當我默想上帝安慰的話語時，我想起了耶穌那雙留有釘痕的手，祂因為愛我們而被釘十字架，好讓你我得到救恩（約翰福音20章24-27節）。正如祖父搜集的郵票和他溫柔的話語，表達了他對我的愛，上帝伸出赦罪的手，也表明了祂對我們永遠的愛。讓我們因祂那永不改變的愛，向祂獻上感謝。祂永遠不會忘記我們。

As a child, I collected postage stamps. When my angkong (Fukienese for “grandfather”) heard of my hobby, he started saving stamps from his office mail every day. Whenever I visited my grandparents, Angkong would give me an envelope filled with a variety of beautiful stamps. “Even though I’m always busy,” he told me once, “I won’t forget you.”

Angkong wasn’t given to overt displays of affection, but I felt his love deeply. In an infinitely deeper way, God demonstrated His love toward Israel when He declared, “I will not forget you!” (Isaiah 49:15). Suffering in Babylon for idolatry and disobedience in days past, His people lamented, “The Lord has forgotten me” (v. 14). But God’s love for His people hadn’t changed. He promised them forgiveness and restoration (vv. 8–13).

“I have engraved you on the palms of my hands,” God told Israel, as He also tells us today (v. 16). As I ponder His words of reassurance, it reminds me so deeply of Jesus’ nail-scarred hands—stretched out in love for us and for our salvation (John 20:24–27). Like my grandfather’s stamps and his tender words, God holds out His forgiving hand as an eternal token of His love. Let’s thank Him for His love—an unchanging love. He will never forget us.