Ephesians 1:13

  I am sealed by God with His Holy Spirit.
  "In Him you also trusted, after you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation; in whom, also, having believed, you were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise." NKJV
  "And now you Gentiles have also heard the truth, the Good News that God saves you. And when you believed in Christ, he identified you as his own by giving you the Holy Spirit, whom he promised long ago." JCB

  Sealed. In thinking of the number of ways a seal is used in daily life and by applying that knowledge to this passage, I am once again awed by the diverse ways the Lord uses the language of the Bible to connect with us on so many different levels.
  For those of us who still use snail mail, an envelope is sealed to prevent the contents from either being read or lost. In the old days, melted wax was applied to the seams of a folded paper so it would be easy to see if the message had been tampered with on its journey to the receiver. Every person of status had their own seal, a design carved into a ring or stamp that was pressed into the soft wax before it hardened thereby identifying the sender.
  Later on, a small, hand held press was used to emboss a design directly into the paper. This method is still used today for authenticating official documents.
  When I make jam, having a good seal is so important. Without it, the contents would spoil. The seal keeps air and bacteria out. I always use mason jars with a metal ring and a slightly concave lid with rubber around the edges. There's nothing better than hearing those lids pop once the contents have cooled enough to pull the lid inwards. The pop means it's a good seal, that inside is a vacuum where nothing unwanted can grow. On the rare occasion when a lid fails, that jar was used up first.
  Sealing in a variety of forms is essential for the preservation and longevity of foodstuffs. Foodstuffs that are necessary for the preservation and longevity of life. It's working because we are living longer and are able to eat a diverse smorgasbord of foods from around the globe.
  Perhaps it's a sign of wealth, too, this ability to preserve food; to have enough to set aside for the future and to be able to stave off hunger in the seasons where nothing grows.
  Only a few days ago I blogged about the incredible value of salt as part of the preservation process.
 
  So, the moment we declare Jesus as Lord, the Lord seals our faith by embossing our souls with His Holy Spirit. This blessed gift identifies us as believers. His presence in our lives will seal us against the contaminating abilities of sin and evil. Although, unlike food, we still have a role to play in how well this works through our choices.
  I have to wonder...if I wouldn't drag a chicken leg through the trash before eating it, why is it so hard to treat my own body and soul with such care?
  Thank You, Lord, for stirring up an area that needs work. Thank You, as well, for the gift of Your Spirit to guide me into holiness and righteousness. Amen!