Seal

 

When we first traveled to Romania in 1990, we flew into Germany, rented vehicles, and took groups of Americans to distribute Scriptures that had been previously shipped into the country.  But at the Romanian border crossing, a visa costing $30, which with a group of several people added up to quite a sum.  So, I had an embossing stamp made with “Romania Relief” and “Gerald Whitely” around the edge, and an American flag in the middle.  I typed a letter explaining that we were on a humanitarian mission distributing relief items and Scriptures to the people of Romania at no charge.  I signed it myself and affixed the gold embossed stamp under my signature.  It looked very official.  I showed it to the border guard, he looked at it, and he gave us all visas free of charge.  Over the next 10 years, that little seal saved us hundreds of dollars!  But as a Christian, we have a seal much more valuable than that: we have been sealed by the Holy Spirit.  And the Holy Spirit’s sealing is good enough to take us all the way to heaven!  Paul reminds us to respect the Holy Spirit’s sealing in Ephesians 4:30, “And grieve not the holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption.”  The blessed Holy Spirit has guaranteed our passage through death, through the pearly gates of heaven, and all the way to the throne of God!  And Jesus will be waiting with outstretched arms to welcome us in!  And we are as sure of heaven someday as if we were there right now!  What a wonderful promise and what a wonderful seal!