Monday Morning Devotion-July 3, 2023 

God's Autograph

Marvelous are your works that my soul knows very well.    Psalm 139:14

*also on April 29, 2013

      What is it about an autograph that makes people seek them?  It's a signature, a handwritten inscription.  It serves as a memento especially if the autograph is from a celebrity or a well-known person.

            I guess what it does is it sets apart that item from the run-of-the-mill ones.  If someone writes a book and takes the time to sign it that means they cared enough about the reader or the book purchaser to personalize it for them.

            While certainly, not in the celebrity stage, I've been able to do some book signings and also one-on-one situations in which someone had a copy of my book and wanted it signed.  When that occurs, I always try to write a personal note that goes beyond a signature.  The fact that someone took an interest in my writing is special to me, so I want to make the experience special for them as well.

            Now there are autographs and then there are autographs.  What I mean by that is some autographs you can read and some you cannot read.  Like mine for example.  My handwriting is not the greatest in the world, so I have to take extra care in slowing down and making an effort in trying to write legibly.  I mean, what good is an autograph if nobody can read it or tell, in a quick glance, who it belongs to.

            Scribblers can take a lesson from one of the all-time greats in the world of golf Arnold Palmer.  The way the public took to Arnie, back-in-the-day, popularized golf universally and had folks clambering for his autograph.  Being also one of the all-time good-guys on the tour Arnie never wanted to disappoint anyone.  So, despite how large a crowd surrounded him Arnie always took time to legibly sign their items.

            Arnie explained on the Golf Channel, "My first year in grade school, my teacher was a lady by the name of Rita Taylor and on the blackboard around the room we learned the Palmer Method (not named after him)."  But it was a method of writing legibly that Arnold Palmer carried with him and makes sure every fan can read his name.

            I guess the point of all that is that people who are revered by others and take time to appreciate that are special folks. 

            When I started thinking about this it became clear that people only autograph things that they take a certain amount of pride in.  A book they wrote, picture of themselves, t-shirts that have a message they feel good about endorsing or a myriad number of things.  Autograph seekers can be pretty creative.

            Taking it to a higher level I thought about what God's autograph would be like.  Then it occurred to me that we see His autograph every day in many different places. 

            Each person you see has been autographed by God.  He is proud of his work.  And well He should be.  How many people have you seen in this world that are exactly alike with no differences.  Even twins have something about them that is different.  Even though they may look alike and often think alike each has his or her own unique personality making them different in certain ways.

            Just the act of creating each of us  with differences is amazing in itself.  In Psalm139 David states his amazement:

            "You made all the delicate, inner parts of my body and knit me together in my mother's womb.  Thank you for making me so wonderfully complex!  Your workmanship is marvelous---and how well I know it. You saw me before I was born.  Every day of my life was recorded in your book.  Every moment was laid out before a single day had passed.

            Not only did God make us he stays on top of what is happening in every aspect of our lives.  Psalm 56:8 "You keep track of all my sorrows.  You have collected all my tears in your bottle.  You have recorded each one in your book.”

            Yes, we are, each one of us, autographable by God.  We are workmanship that He is proud of.  That is something to keep in mind in dark times.  When we get depressed because life has hard knocks remember you have not only been created by God, but you have been autographed by Him as well.

            Actually, His autographed work is all over the place.  You can see it in your flower garden. Look at your nice green lawn.  OK so some weeds have creeped in.  That's your responsibility to keep those out.  Hey, God created all the beauty you see, it's up to you to maintain it and not let it go to...uh, seed.

            Somehow whenever I am fortunate enough to go somewhere and see mountains (you don't see too many of those in Florida)    I feel that I am seeing God's autograph at  its most beautiful and awesome best.  I love being up in the heights and looking down at the valley.

            Seeing a waterfall cascading down the mountainside is impressive,  The wildflowers planted only by God are beautiful and if I'm fortunate enough to be there in the fall the changing colors of the trees that God planted are awe-inspiring,

            We see God's hand in all the animals, birds, insects he has created.  Especially dogs and horses, my two favorites.  Not so much in cats (I'm allergic to them).  Just kidding cats, too, are God's special creation.  Now I have to wonder about snakes, spiders, ants, roaches, etc.  But God had a purpose in each of those as well.  They bear his autograph.  I just don't want to get close enough to any of those to read His inscription. 

            Yes, God loves us so much that we are privileged to see his Autograph on his work everywhere,  Thank you Lord!

Monday Prayer:  Lord we don't have to ask for your autograph.  We see it everywhere.  We are blessed!  Amen!