A Prayer to Remember You're Engraved on God's Hands - Your Daily Prayer - January 9

A Prayer to Remember You're Engraved on God's Hands
By Rachel Wojo

Bible Reading:
"See, I have engraved you on the palms of my hands; your walls are continually before me." - Isaiah 49:16

Listen or Read Below:

There's a difference between being noticed and being truly known. I learned this distinction during years of sitting in the family worship room of our larger church with my special needs daughter. While hundreds of people filled the main sanctuary, we'd settle into that separate space designed for families with young children or those who needed  extra accommodations.

The physical separation was necessary at times, but it often left me feeling unknown. People would smile politely when they saw us, but there wasn't the deep connection that comes from really being seen and understood. I'd watch other families effortlessly navigate church life. They were sitting together in the main sanctuary, kids enjoying their own classrooms during the sermon, or parents taking notes without constant interruptions. Meanwhile, I was managing meltdowns, sensory overload, and the unique challenges that came with loving a child whose needs were different.

But I discovered something in that family room: while I might have felt unknown by the larger church community, God met us faithfully every single time. Through the worship music that filled our separate space and through His tangible presence even amidst the distractions, God showed me that being truly known by Him was infinitely more important than being noticed by people.

Isaiah 49:16 reminds me of the preciousness that God doesn't just notice us; He has engraved us on the palms of His hands. The word "engraved" means to carve or cut deeply, making something permanent that can never be erased. This isn't casual awareness; this is intimate, personal knowledge. When God looks at His hands, He sees you. Not just your name, but everything about you: your struggles, your joys, your unique story.

As my Creator, God is the only One who can fill that God-sized hole in my heart. The longing to be truly known, to be understood at the deepest level, can only be satisfied by the One who formed me. People might see the surface—the challenges, the differences, the ways we don't fit the typical mold—but God sees how precious we are to Him.

The second part of this verse says, "your walls are continually before me." Everything that defines you, protects you, and makes you who you are is always in God's sight. He's not distracted by anything else. He's not looking away. You have His full attention and His complete understanding.

In that family room, surrounded by the beautiful chaos of children with different needs, I learned that being engraved on God's hands means I'm never truly alone and never truly unknown. Neither was my special needs daughter. The Creator of the universe knows our names, our hearts, and our stories. That's a kind of knowing that goes deeper than any human connection could ever reach. Aren’t you glad? Let’s pray.

Let's Pray:

Heavenly Father,

Thank You for the incredible truth that I am engraved on the palms of Your hands. When I feel unknown or misunderstood by the people around me, remind me that You see me completely and love me perfectly. You know my name, my story, and my heart better than I know myself.

Help me to remember that the longing to be truly known can only be satisfied by You, my Creator. While people might notice me or overlook me, You have carved my name permanently on Your hands. I am never out of Your sight, never forgotten, and always precious to You. Thank You that my worth isn't determined by how well others understand me, but by how deeply You love me.

In Jesus' name, amen.

Thank you for joining me today. I pray this reminder of how intimately God knows you has brought comfort to any places in your heart where you've felt unseen or misunderstood. Remember, you are engraved on the palms of His hands. Your soul is permanent, precious, and completely known.

If you're looking for more guidance on anchoring your heart in God's faithful promises, especially His promises about how well He knows and loves you, I invite you to check out my new prayer journal, Praying the Promises of God: 52 Week Guided Journal at https://promisesprayerjournal.com. In this journal, you'll find space to meditate on the promises that remind you of your incredible worth to God and help you experience His intimate love in tangible ways. Until next time, remember, God sees you, hears you, and He knows your needs.

Share your reflections on today’s devotional in the Your Daily Prayer discussion on the Crosswalk Forum.

Photo Credit: ©iStock/Getty Images Plus/Bohdan Bevz 

Rachel Wojo is an inspirational author, public speaker, and podcaster known for her popular blog, rachelwojo.com. Through her biblical approach and personal life experiences, Rachel empowers women to discover strength and hope in everyday situations. Despite enduring the loss of her mother, adult special needs daughter, and father, Rachel remains resilient. She has authored the uplifting book,  Desperate Prayers: Embracing the Power of Prayer in Life's Darkest Moments  and a new beautiful, spiral-bound prayer journal, Praying the Promises of God,  Rachel is crazy in love with her husband, Matt, and cherishes her motherhood with six children on earth and two in heaven.

If you enjoy Rachel’s prayers, you’ll appreciate the beautiful prayer card set, 31 Days of Prayers for the Heart. Enjoy and display Rachel Wojo's beautiful 31-day prayer card collection that includes A Morning Prayer, A Prayer for the Moment, and more! Easily place your favorite on display or transition through the set using one each day for a month. All cards securely rest in the display stand. This set includes 5x7 cards on sturdy 100 lb cardstock, beautiful, smooth professional print, and a handcrafted wooden display stand to hold all cards.

Related Resource: How to Choose Your One Word for 2026

This month on the How to Study the Bible Podcast, we’re starting a new series called One Word 2026, and it’s meant to be a gentle but intentional way to reflect, respond, and reconnect with God as we begin the year. In this episode, I’m walking you through why I love taking the whole month of January to pause and listen — rather than rushing into resolutions or putting pressure on yourself to “get it all together” by January 1. We’re going to start with Philippians 1:3–11, where Paul reminds us that we can have real confidence because God is still working in us, and He’s not finished.

Then I’m going to share six words I’ve been praying over for our community — six spiritual intentions that I believe reflect the kind of growth God may be inviting us into this year. You don’t have to choose one right away, and you definitely don’t have to force it — but I hope that one of these words will resonate in your spirit and give you a steady anchor for 2026.

 This episode is part of our How to Study the Bible Podcast, a show that brings life back to reading the Bible and helps you understand even the hardest parts of Scripture. If this episode helps you know and love God more, be sure to subscribe to the How to Study the Bible Podcast on Apple or Spotify so you never miss an episode!