John Hancock

I've been thinking a lot about signatures lately. Mine is a mess from signing my name all day at work, but it's definitely uniquely me, and difficult to forge. A signature has weight, meaning, and value. It's your character and reputation.



What got me started thinking about this was, of course, iTunes. I just got The Heat by Needtobreathe, and one of my favorite songs is "Signature of Divine."



Cathedrals have tried in vain

To show the image of your face.

But we are, by your design

The signature of divine.



Then, reading Haggai chapter 2, the Lord tells Zerubbabel (through Haggai) that he will be "like my signet ring, for I have chosen you." My study Bible explains how a signet ring is like a signature, and could be used as a pledge or guarantee of full payment.



A pledge that my debt is paid. Chosen people. Loving how the Old Testament points to Jesus, our ultimate pledge for payment in full.



Jesus is our signet ring. Don't we want to have His signature on our lives and hearts?



We are already divinely created and signed by our Creator's hand, but is that enough? Can you be truly signed by God, sealed to His promises, without some major submission and a transformed heart?



I hope that the Lord's signature is all over me and my life, that I live it differently and transformed because of what He has done for me. I want to become more like Jesus, more conformed to Him in character, for the rest of my days. I want to show God's character and values to everyone I meet, so that they know Him in some small way through me.



I don't want to hold back or be conservative with letting God in - I've tried that, and it doesn't really work. Why let Him in just on Sunday morning, when life is a 24/7 deal? I've found that the more I let God in, the more He radiates out of me, the more I feel I belong to Him. Submission is very difficult for me, but only when I submit do I truly experience God's promises and feel His hand in my life.



I don't want a teensy, wimpy God signature just on part of my life, because my God is big and wide and living. He doesn't have a wimpy, apologetic signature.



His signature is one big John Hancock.



And the best part: He's signing me and you!