A hot fire, dusty cowboys, excited horses, wild eyed cattle, the smell of burnt hair and hide hanging in the air. They were all part of the day's work when cows were being branded. A "brand" signified ownership. Real estate didn't move around, so a piece of paper, a "deed" could be used to tell the world who owned the property. But, cows just kept moving around and they all looked like each other, so the owner put his identifying mark - his brand - on his cattle. The hot iron seared through hair and hide and left a permanent identification so the world would know who owned those cows.
We are all branded. We have social security numbers, driver license numbers, military identification numbers, VISA numbers, employee numbers, and telephone numbers. The list goes on and on and on. Those numbers are all computerized and I have been told by experts it is almost impossible for anyone to completely "disappear." Given enough time and money anyone can be located if someone wants to find them badly enough.
Tattoo artists brand people. Some people are "tattooed" with a name of boyfriend, girlfriend, mother, husband or wife etched for the world to see. But, time marches on and some tattoo's become embarrassing. New boyfriends, girlfriends, husbands and wives sometimes come along, and "ownership" changes. Then too, a big red and blue eagle tattooed across your back may look awesome when you are 18 years old, but may seem pretty silly in the corporate spa when you are 50 years old.
God brands people too. In the Old Testament a servant who wanted to permanently remain with his master could have his ear pierced with an awl. But, in the New Testament God's brand is more subtle. He transforms and changes hearts of stone into hearts of flesh and then brands a cross upon those fleshly tablets. You can't see his brand without looking carefully, but you will notice that the behavior of his people is different. Branded Christians belong to God. They think about him; they talk to him; they serve others for him; in short, their lives belong to him.
I don't mind being branded with the Cross of Christ. I like belonging to him. I don't want to be free and independent - and lost and afraid anymore. Belonging to God entitles me to security and peace and forgiveness and power and love and acceptance. I have everything to gain and nothing to lose, except my stubborn pride and callous indifference to the loving savior. You see, like it or not, you get to choose whether you will accept God's brand and become God's servant. It is not forced on you. You are not brow-beaten into submission. Gently he calls to each of us, inviting all of us, to willingly submit to his ownership.
Personally, I like wearing the brand of the boss of the Universe.
So, whose brand do you wear?
We are all branded. We have social security numbers, driver license numbers, military identification numbers, VISA numbers, employee numbers, and telephone numbers. The list goes on and on and on. Those numbers are all computerized and I have been told by experts it is almost impossible for anyone to completely "disappear." Given enough time and money anyone can be located if someone wants to find them badly enough.
Tattoo artists brand people. Some people are "tattooed" with a name of boyfriend, girlfriend, mother, husband or wife etched for the world to see. But, time marches on and some tattoo's become embarrassing. New boyfriends, girlfriends, husbands and wives sometimes come along, and "ownership" changes. Then too, a big red and blue eagle tattooed across your back may look awesome when you are 18 years old, but may seem pretty silly in the corporate spa when you are 50 years old.
God brands people too. In the Old Testament a servant who wanted to permanently remain with his master could have his ear pierced with an awl. But, in the New Testament God's brand is more subtle. He transforms and changes hearts of stone into hearts of flesh and then brands a cross upon those fleshly tablets. You can't see his brand without looking carefully, but you will notice that the behavior of his people is different. Branded Christians belong to God. They think about him; they talk to him; they serve others for him; in short, their lives belong to him.
I don't mind being branded with the Cross of Christ. I like belonging to him. I don't want to be free and independent - and lost and afraid anymore. Belonging to God entitles me to security and peace and forgiveness and power and love and acceptance. I have everything to gain and nothing to lose, except my stubborn pride and callous indifference to the loving savior. You see, like it or not, you get to choose whether you will accept God's brand and become God's servant. It is not forced on you. You are not brow-beaten into submission. Gently he calls to each of us, inviting all of us, to willingly submit to his ownership.
Personally, I like wearing the brand of the boss of the Universe.
So, whose brand do you wear?
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