Isaiah 49:14-18
14 But Zion said, “The Lord has forsaken me;
my Lord has forgotten me.”
15 Can a woman forget her nursing child
or show no compassion for the child of her womb?
Even these might forget,
yet I will not forget you.
16 See, I have inscribed you on the palms of my hands;
your walls are continually before me.
17 Your builders outdo your destroyers,
and those who laid you waste go away from you.
18 Lift up your eyes all around and see;
they all gather; they come to you.
As I live, says the Lord,
you shall put all of them on like an ornament,
and like a bride you shall bind them on. (NRSV)
So, the big theological term is “omnipresent.” Omni – completely or to the utmost; present – well, present. Omnipresent – completely present or present everywhere. To say that God is omnipresent is to say that there is no place where God is not. We learn that about God from such passages as Psalm 139. “Where can I flee from your presence? . . . If I fly away on the wings of the dawn [to the farthest east] or settle down on the other side of the sea [to the farthest west], . . . even there your right hand would grab hold of me” (vss. 7, 9, 10).
This is a biblical truth about God. He is present everywhere. He does not abandon us (see Matt. 28:20).
But if that is true, why does it sometimes feel as if God is nowhere to be found? Here in Isaiah 49, the prophet is speaking to people who feel just that way. They cry out, “The Lord has abandoned me!” (v. 14).
But through the prophet, God says, “No, it will never be so.” He says, “Even if mothers could forget their children, I could never forget you” (v. 15).
So, what has happened? It is the people (us) who have wandered off, or at least we try to. We put up walls to hide us from God, just as Adam and Eve tried to hide from God (Gen. 3:8). We want to lead our own lives without any involvement (interference?) from God. And so, we pull the covers up over our head and try to pretend he isn’t there. We pretend to be in charge of our own lives.
But soon the howling emptiness of the Godless world begins to creep into the corners of our souls, and we cry out, “The sovereign master has forgotten me” (v. 14). But God says, “No. Open your eyes! Take your head out from under the covers! Look around! I haven’t abandoned you. I can’t forget you. I have been here with you all along. Now, come back to me. See, I am working redemption in all the howling darkness. See, I am making everything new” (Rev. 21:5).
Lord Jesus, our good Shepherd, don’t let us wander away from you. Don’t let us think that we are far from you and forgotten. Instead, enable us to know that you are always near and busy about the work of making all things new. Amen.
© Gary Chorpenning 2026
Related posts:
Bible Note #59: The Delight of Feasting on God’s Presence
Pastor Note #44 — Coffee Mugs and Robust Coffee, Churches and the Powerful Presence of Jesus
Bible Note #61: Zacchaeus #5–Why Would Such a Man Want to See Jesus?
Prayer Note #61: The Interference of God–A Prayer
Prayer Note #59: Fleeing My Inescapable God
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