Not forgotten

'I will never forget you.'   (Isaiah 49)

The Book of the Prophet Isaiah was written during the time Israel was living in exile in Babylon.  Throughout this book, Isaiah speaks of God's demands for compassion and justice, for honest worship and rituals - as well as God's promises: promises of a second chance, promises of a new beginning, promises of a return to their land and a completely different kind of leader.

But perhaps, and most importantly, God reminds the Hebrew people againa nd again and again that they ahve not been forgotten.  Even in the midst of exile, God was still indeed with them, and they were still God's people.

In this season of Lent, we are reminded over and over of the need to return to the Lord.  Why?  Because He does love us, and He does desire for us to be with Him forever.  It hurts Him when we stray, when we go off on our own and ignore Him and His commandments.  He will do anything to have us back again.

May our Lenten prayers and practices truly assist us in returning with our whole heart to the Lord, knowing that we are not forgotten.  For it will be in this way that we will draw ever closer to our ultimate goal - eternal life in the Father's Kingdom of true and lasting peace.