Brand Marks

Do you search for a certain brand when you are shopping? On what items does the label matter to you, and on what others do you just look for the bargains, the sale items, the discounted or freebies? It strikes me that we bear a brand mark on our lives. I wonder whose brand we are wearing. Are we looking for the quick fix, the discount, the quick way to a good deal in our lives? We live in a "take the easy way out" culture where the end cost seems to justify any means of reaching it. But is that the way of our Savior? The cool thing is that He has made this covenant, taken an oath with us as His children, and sealed those promises with His blood. He takes a heavenly blood-brother promise with us: "I will not forget you! See, I have engraved you on the palms of My hands"! (Isaiah 49:15-16). Jesus still bears those covenant marks today (John 20:24-27; Rev. 5:6), the Lamb that was slaughtered so that we could see glory. That Lamb is the lamp of heaven (Rev. 21:22-27). There are no substitutes there, no sale hawkers, no "get rich quick" schemers. There is no more night; nothing impure crosses the threshold; we will have no shame, nothing to hide. The glory of the Father is the light of heaven. He is no mere night light but a continuous beacon of blinding radiance. That's a little freaky to us. Check out these glory sightings:* The shepherds saw it before Jesus' birth while they tended their sheep outside of Bethlehem (Luke 2:9). They wore the glow of the brand of PROMISE.* That glory shines in us as we bear fruit for the Kingdom (John 15:8). Will you bear the brand of FRIEND (John 15:13)?* That same glory of heaven resides in our skin as the Spirit reveals Truth to us from God's Word (John 16:12-15). Will you wear the brand of TRUTH?* God ignites His glory when He shows us His plan. Check out Abraham's story in Genesis 12 and 15 and Exodus 3. When has the Father revealed His glory to you by asking you to join Him in His work? Abraham chose to wear the brand of GLORY.* God's glory is revealed when He exalts Himself (Acts 7:55-56). In New Testament days, slaves, soldiers, and servants in the temple received brand marks for their masters, much as Paul mentioned in Galatians 6:17. What marks are we willing to bear to bring the Glory? In Acts 7, Stephenpreached in front of man's high priest, and it did not go well. Then He saw Jesus, our High Priest, standing at the right hand of the Father. Stephen saw the glory of the Most High in the middle of being stoned by the anger of men. These men chose poorly and chose religion over a relationship; they took on the brand of Religion. Hey, there's no more night in heaven where Stephen preceded us to meet the Son; no more spite; no reason or possibility of hate. Stephen bore the mark of being CHOSEN. Christ still bears those wounds from the Cross, even as He radiates glory from the right hand of the Father, even as He prays for each of us to be vessels for that same glory. Because of Him, we are branded, "LOVED." Whose brand marks are you sporting today? Discount or death? "Just like every one else," or just like Redeemer? We have a great heritage in wearing the brand marks of the Cross. We have a great inheritance, too. Our hope is not in things that moths and rust can corrupt or that thieves can break in and steal. We have a treasure in heaven. Let's follow the Man whose Name is the Branch (Zechariah 6:12). Let's get branded by the Cross!