A Marked Man

Recently I developed in my left ring finger what is called, “trigger finger.”  Sometimes the finger doesn’t want to bend. And when I do bend it, it sometimes gets stuck in that position.  In fact, I often wake up at night and then again in the morning to find my finger stuck in a bent position. The only way to straighten it out is to pull it with my right hand.  (Oh the joys of getting older!) 

As I was showing my finger to a friend, they pointed out that the cause could be the fact that my wedding ring had become too small and was pressing down on the finger so tightly that the tendon had become inflamed.  It was a struggle to get the ring off, which I almost never do. Once it was off, however, I noticed the finger was—and still is—indented in the place where the ring sat.  My wedding ring had made its mark on me!  (Right now the ring is with a jeweler being resized.) 

You might say that, I’m a marked man! And, I guess that’s what marriage is supposed to do: make its mark on one’s life!  Even with the ring off, the current mark on my finger reminds me that I am a married man—married to a wonderful woman named, Kimberly!  Even though I’ve temporarily removed the ring, the mark on my finger won’t allow me to forget that I belong to her.  

Did you know, that’s what God wants to do in our lives through Jesus Christ? He wants you to be a marked man or a marked woman.  He wants to make a lasting mark on each of us. He wants to mark our lives in such a way that we will ever be reminded that we are his.   

The Apostle Paul wrote to the believers, “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….” (Ephesians 1:13 – NIV; emphasis mine)  By means of his Holy Spirit, God marks our lives, so that we know that we are designated as his; so that we will not forget to whom we belong.  With the Holy Spirit, we become marked men and women of God. 

I’m glad today for God’s mark on my life.  I pray that you will know his mark on yours. 

Have a great day!

Pastor Tim Harris

www.pifny.org