The Autograph

It is an end of the school year ritual.
Pens in hand, everyone is signing yearbooks.
Remember me.
Have a great summer.

It is a ritual that has been happening for years in some form or another.
One pen.
One name.
So many memories.

I can still look at my old yearbooks and remember.
I still smile over things that people wrote on the pages.
One sentiment read all these years later and I am right back in those hallways.
Words written that when read brings a face to mind.

When I was younger, autograph books were popular.
They almost looked like photo albums except they had blank pages.
You passed around your autograph books and people signed their name.
Some people wrote large letters that took up a whole page; often on purpose.

Marking their territory.
Finding a special place for their name and their name alone.
The yearbooks I have kept.
The autograph books are long gone.

After graduating from high school, most of us had a small box.
Inside the box were cards with our names printed on them.
The cards were about 1 inch by 2 1/2 inches in size.
We actually traded cards so that soon the box was filled with everyone else’s cards.

I looked at that box and its contents from time to time.
One name brought back so many memories.
That box has been long gone as well.
The name doesn’t need to be on a card to be remembered.

This past weekend, I was asked to do a book signing.
For four hours, I greeted people that came into the store.
The conversations were the best part of the afternoon.
Some people wanted a copy of my book and wanted me to sign it for them.

One name.
One blank page.
One reminder written.
Listen for His Whispers every day.

I sat there amazed that one signature could be so special.
One signature in the front of the book that was to be given to someone else as a gift.
One signature that I practiced over and over when I learned cursive writing as a girl.
One signature that is unique to me.

It is humbling to think that a signature in front of a book means so much.
It is a bit daunting as well.
My name on the front, noted not as an author, but as a listener.
My name attached to all the words that are found between the covers.

One name.

Can a mother forget the baby at her breast and have no compassion on the child she has borne? Though she may forget, I will not forget you! See, I have engraved you on the palms of My hands. (Isaiah 49:15,16)

One name.
Your name.
My name.
Engraved on the palm of His Hands.

Permanently placed there.
Never to be forgotten.
Those same hands that healed and touched and blessed have one name engraved on them.
Those hands that bear the scars of the nails that were driven in to hold Him on the cross.

Nails were used.
But nails were not necessary.
Michael Card pondered that same thought in his song, Why?

And why did it have to be
A heavy cross He was made to bare
And why did they nail His feet and hands
His love would have held Him there

His love would have held Him there.
No nails necessary!
Scars received for wounds that were meant for you and me.
One name on the palm of His nail-scarred hand.

Jesus’ scars are permanent.
We will see His scars when we meet Him face to face.
We, with our glorified bodies, will fall at the feet of our Savior-Servant.
We will look at His nail-scarred Hands extended to us and see our name engraved there.

One name.
Each one belonging to Him will see their name engraved there.
Each one special and unique.
Each one the reason He died.

A name signed in an autograph book cannot compare.
A name written in a yearbook seems unimportant.
A name signed in front of a book seems insignificant.
A name for the name’s sake, with no thought of Him, means nothing.

You yourselves are our letter, written on our hearts, known and read by everybody. You show that you are a letter from Christ, the result of our ministry, written not with ink but with the Spirit of the living God, not on tablets of stone but on tablets of human hearts.
(2 Corinthians 3:2,3)

Our name written with ink means nothing.
Our name written on tablets does not last.
Our name written with the Spirit of the Living God is eternal.
Our name written on human hearts is Kingdom calligraphy.

Anything done in vanity so that we will be remembered is chaff that will blow away.
Anything done in humility so that Christ is remembered and exalted is eternal.

If I write my name as I sign my book, it better point to Him alone.
Everything else is vanity, chasing after the wind.
My name engraved on His Hand is the only autograph that matters.
I am so thankful that He is mindful of my little name.

 

2 responses to “The Autograph”

1. I am so greatful that you answered your call to write. You have a rhythmic, lyrical, breath-taking quality about your writing that simply sings (in and of itself as well as to the heart). Thank you. Have a wonderful day.

   Reply

   • Thank you, Cathleen for your sweet words that encouraged me greatly.
     I have no idea WHO God is reaching with these simple words.
     I am so glad He reached you.
     Gina

     Reply