Marking


Getting up at 5:15 on a Saturday morning is not exactly my cup of tea. Since I get up early on six days out of the week Saturday is the day that I prefer to sleep late. However I had to work at the Exterra Games as part of my volunteer commitment for the Avon Rec Center which required a 6 AM arrival time.

My job was to mark the bodies of the athletes with their numbers and age category using indelible ink. In some ways I felt like a nurse. I had on the plastic gloves, so that the paint would not stain my hands and as people would walk up to me they would have to expose their arms.
Some proudly flexed their muscles…some men would strip off their shirts in preparations…others slathered on the sunscreen making it difficult to get the ink to adhere.
I didn’t know there were so many different sizes and shapes of arms. Long ones, short ones, hairy ones, shaved ones, freckled ones, scarred ones, muscular ones and flabby ones.
Although the numbers we were meant to be permanent, they would fade after a few days or by using a little oil to help erase them. 

The Bible mentions marks too. In the end times people will have to choose whether or not they will receive the “mark of the beast” which will signify that they belong to Satan. If they choose it they will be able to buy and sell, but without it life on earth will be agonizing but worth it for all eternity.

Jesus also bears marks. His marks are the scars that were formed on His hands when He went to the cross for us and our sinfulness. (John 20:25) Along side the scars are the names of everyone that belongs to Him.  (Isaiah 49:16)

Paul chose to bear the marks of Jesus. In other words he made the decision to align his life with His Lord and Savior that he was willing to be tortured for the advancement of the Gospel. (Galatians 6:17)

Those of us who belong to Him also are marked. It is not with ink or scars, but it is with something that is precious and permanent. It is His gift of the Holy Spirit that comforts us, guides us, empowers us, sanctifies us, and teaches us. Even though He is an invisible mark on us, through Him we can show the world Christ.

Ephesians 1:13-14 And you also were included in Christ when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation. Having believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God’s possession—to the praise of his glory.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Bavarian Cream Pie

Image
2 eggs 1/8 t salt 3/4 c scalded milk 1 c whipping cream 1 T gelatin 1/4 c cold water 1/2 c sugar 1 t vanilla Chocolate crumb crust Beat sugar and egg yolks. Then add milk and scald until it sticks to the spoon, stirring constantly. Let gelatin and cold water soak until dissolved, then add to milk and let cool. Whip cream and egg whites separately and then mix together. Mix cream and egg mixture to the milk that has been cooled. Add vanilla to mixture. When this begins to congeal, pour into chocolate crumb crust. Put into refrigerator for at least 4 hours. Sprinkle crushed crumbs over the top before serving. www.hearthope.org
Read more

Mount of the Holy Cross

Image
For years people have enjoyed the awe of Mount of the Holy Cross which is a 14,000 foot mountain in the Sawatch Range of Colorado. It is named for the distinctive snow-filled cross at the top of the mountain and was proclaimed a national monument by Herbert Hoover in 1929. Painters have painted it; photographers have photographed it and hikers have hiked it, because of its special beauty. When my children were young and visiting the area, we would take the gondola up the mountain to the observation deck at Eagle’s Nest for the perfect view of the majestic Mount of the Holy Cross.  So when my grandchildren were visiting this summer, it seemed natural to take them to the same spot for old times’ sake.  The mountain had not changed and the view was still inspiring, but something was terribly wrong. The name on the sign at Eagle’s Nest had been changed. It was no longer labeled Mount of the Holy Cross, but instead has been replaced with the designation Cross of Snow. Why would that be do
Read more

My Latest Award!

Image
This is my niece Allison Bullock who wins triathlons! I won an award today, but before you go getting all excited for me or want to see how you can win one too, you might want to read more. This honor might not be one you want to receive, because you see it is not an accolade that I really want either.  I went for my annual mammogram this morning and while there the doctor found some suspicious areas and wanted to have an ultrasound performed. While laying on the sterile bed, with my pretty pink robe opened and covered with goo used for the transducer, the hand-held device that sends out the waves which produce the picture, the technician declared that I had won the prize for the most cysts she had ever seen in a patient. How do you like that one! I guess the good part is that cysts are not usually dangerous, but still…. I have received other awards in my life that are much more prestigious than the one today, but there is a future award that I hope to obtain that will be more
Read more