Tattoos

A tattoo is permanent. Yes, there are fake ones, tattoos that wash off or peel. But the real deal is embedded two layers deep into the epidermis. The thing about fake tattoos is that you can change your mind, vacillating between teams, opinions, and holiday applications. Eventually these tattoos wear off and we move on to the next craze or fashion.

My heart was a canvas for fake tattoos. With a little effort I could scrub its surface and firmly apply another teaching, theory, or idea. I made sure the "tattoo" was pretty, strategically designed for the approval of my present audience. At any given moment I could remove one and replace it with another. Off and on, off and on, the cycle continued. It was exhausting. I had to constantly be aware of my surroundings, checking the mirrors for the appropriate decal. All the tattoos were good, but not necessarily mine. I borrowed many. They didn't look right or feel right, but they got me where I thought I needed to go-sort of like a temporary license or gate pass.

There were times I felt I had too many tattoos. My heart looked like one big coloring book. Others got to choose the colors. Others got to decide how many layers to apply. My heart was heavy. I sat. I waited. I cried.

And then it happened. God reached down with a loving, tender hand and peeled off the first fake tattoo. It didn't belong on me. It wasn't mine to wear. My heart stung a little at first, but that first inauthentic representation of me was gone. Space was opened up and God spoke words of love, grace, healing, and hope-words now permanently written upon my heart where there was once a false cover. These God given words need not hide, nor ever go away for they are true, spoken by the God of truth. The Master Tattoo Artist began to reveal words etched upon my heart so many years ago. Because I could not see them, I forgot they were there. These permanent tattoos will never need a touch up or re-fill. Their designs will never go out of style. The Creator who placed them there has a plan for me to show forth His work upon my heart. And sometimes, when I'm very still before Him, I can feel another stencil preparing my heart for the beautiful penmanship. He gets to choose the word.