“And you also were included in Christ when you heard the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation. When you believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit.” — Ephesians 1:13
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There she was, standing at half court with a basketball tucked at her hip. I sat in the bleachers utterly captivated.
The year was 1999, and before me stood the legendary coach Pat Summitt, imparting her unparalleled wisdom on achieving success as one of the winningest basketball coaches in history. After she spoke, I waited in a long line with other coaches from around the country and got to meet Coach Sumitt. She asked about my team and we took a picture together as she autographed my copy of “Reach for the Summitt.”
What a cool memory. Yet, as the years pass, the ink on her signature has gently faded, and the picture has weathered with the passage of time. It’s a great memory, but that’s all it is.
In our culture we often idolize championship coaches, athletes, celebrities and social media influencers we follow. While the autograph of a championship coach may bring temporary joy and excitement, the signature of Jesus Christ upon every believer is the ultimate autograph. It holds eternal significance; it never fades away.
For believers, the autograph of Jesus signifies a personal relationship with the Savior, a bond that is forged through faith and sealed by grace. Ephesians 1:13 (above) tells us that we have been stamped with the seal — God identified you as His own by giving you the Holy Spirit. He has personally autographed you and given you great value — you are now His!
He has engraved your name on the palms of His hands. “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; your walls are ever before me” (Isaiah 49:15-16). He cannot forget you.
When you struggle, cry, laugh or call out to Him, He sees you every second. You are constantly on His mind.
The same hands that were pierced for our transgressions bear your name and hold you now. God has not forgotten you. He didn’t inscribe your name with ink that fades. The Creator fully knows His creation. You are His.
So while getting an autograph from a person we admire may be cool, let us never forget the incomparable significance of the autograph that Jesus has already inscribed onto the hearts of believers: a signature of eternal love, grace and redemption that will never fade away.
The autograph that will last forever.
— Melissa Motes
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