Written by God

One thing I was always fascinated and impressed with as a kid was my dad's signature.  It was a scrawl of barely recognisable letters he could reproduce again and again without fail, his own mark.  Surely no forger would attempt that signature!  I enjoyed flipping through a book that contained carbon copies of cheques where page after page of the signature was written.  Occasionally I asked him to sign a blank piece of paper just to see him write it again in person.  Inspired by his signature I tried to develop a signature of my own, yet none could possibly eclipse the immaculate style and flourish of his pen.

Something I have grown to treasure even more than my dad's writing is God's word the Bible, spoken by God and penned for us so we might know Him and walk in His ways.  I felt quite proud to know the illegible words my dad's signature represented, but it is humbling to know God has chosen to speak forth His wisdom so it might be heard and heeded.  God has given to each a measure of faith, and faith when mixed with the hearing of God's word makes it most profitable for life and godliness.  The God who is unfathomable in majesty has graciously revealed Himself through His word, and the heavens and His redeemed proclaim His glory.  Deuteronomy 29:29 reads, "The secret things belong to the LORD our God, but those things which are revealed belong to us and to our children forever, that we may do all the words of this law."

Over the span of our lives our signatures morph and change, yet God's word endures forever and remains unchanged and perfect as He is.  As Psalm 119:105 states, God's word is a lamp to our feet and a light to my path.  Not only does it reveal the truth about God and us, but it ought to be used as a guide to walk wisely every day.  Consider the words of Jesus in Mark 4:21-22:  "Also He said to them, "Is a lamp brought to be put under a basket or under a bed? Is it not to be set on a lampstand? ²² For there is nothing hidden which will not be revealed, nor has anything been kept secret but that it should come to light."  Treasuring God's word in our hearts keeps us from sinning against God.  The words of life revealed to us are beneficial to share with others as we heed them ourselves, not to brag of our knowledge, but to demonstrate love in leading others to Jesus as LORD.

My dad's signature was written by hand, and the heavens and earth--and all that is in them--are the work of God's hands.  Jesus pointed to the Roman coin that bore the image of Caesar to support the authority of Caesar to require taxes, and God created human beings in His own image.  Romans 13:7-8 says, "Render therefore to all their due: taxes to whom taxes are due, customs to whom customs, fear to whom fear, honour to whom honour. ⁸ Owe no one anything except to love one another, for he who loves another has fulfilled the law."  We only live, breathe and have our being because of God, and we ought to fear, honour and love God over all as He is worthy to be praised.  He does more than we could ever do, and He is greater than we could ever hope to be.  Glory to God for His gracious love and enduring word.