The Importance of a Good Seal
Until recently, I hadn't thought much about the word "seal." However, watching my husband install a shower where the drain had to have an adequate seal in order to keep it from leaking made me curious. It became obvious that creating a good seal was not only very important, but also takes a lot of hard work and patience.
As a noun, a seal can be an aquatic animal, a device used for stamping a document to authenticate it, something that gives credibility to something else (as a seal of approval), or a substance used to join two things together so as to prevent them from coming apart or to prevent something else from passing between them.
As a verb, a seal can mean to make tight to secure against leakage (as in sealing windows or a shower drain), close securely (as in sealing an envelope or sealing homemade jams or jellies), prevent something from escaping by closing an opening, isolate an area to prevent entry and exit (as in sealing off a crime scene), apply a coating to a surface to make it impervious (such as sealing a finish with a varnish), fry a piece of meat briefly to keep the juices intact (seal the lamb before adding other ingredients) or secure something so as to exclude the possibility of reversal or loss (as in sealing a business deal).
The definitions of seal have an application when applied to the Christian life. God the Father placed His seal of approval on His Son; God set His seal of ownership on His children and we are marked with the seal of the Holy Spirit (John 6:27, 2 Corinthians 1:21 and Ephesians 1:13). Jesus never broke the seal during His lifetime. His integrity remained intact. He never allowed anything to come between Him and His Father's will.
For the rest of us, however, it is a constant struggle to keep worldly temptations from distracting us. The apostle Paul reminded us to be continually filled with the Holy Spirit, but as my husband often says, "we leak." The presence of the Holy Spirit is real to us. We have already been "authenticated," but while we are still here on a fallen planet, we must be diligent in remembering that we have to work hard at preventing anything from entering our lives that will dishonor the Spirit that lives within us.
And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice. Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you (Ephesians 4:30-32 NIV).
As a noun, a seal can be an aquatic animal, a device used for stamping a document to authenticate it, something that gives credibility to something else (as a seal of approval), or a substance used to join two things together so as to prevent them from coming apart or to prevent something else from passing between them.
As a verb, a seal can mean to make tight to secure against leakage (as in sealing windows or a shower drain), close securely (as in sealing an envelope or sealing homemade jams or jellies), prevent something from escaping by closing an opening, isolate an area to prevent entry and exit (as in sealing off a crime scene), apply a coating to a surface to make it impervious (such as sealing a finish with a varnish), fry a piece of meat briefly to keep the juices intact (seal the lamb before adding other ingredients) or secure something so as to exclude the possibility of reversal or loss (as in sealing a business deal).
The definitions of seal have an application when applied to the Christian life. God the Father placed His seal of approval on His Son; God set His seal of ownership on His children and we are marked with the seal of the Holy Spirit (John 6:27, 2 Corinthians 1:21 and Ephesians 1:13). Jesus never broke the seal during His lifetime. His integrity remained intact. He never allowed anything to come between Him and His Father's will.
For the rest of us, however, it is a constant struggle to keep worldly temptations from distracting us. The apostle Paul reminded us to be continually filled with the Holy Spirit, but as my husband often says, "we leak." The presence of the Holy Spirit is real to us. We have already been "authenticated," but while we are still here on a fallen planet, we must be diligent in remembering that we have to work hard at preventing anything from entering our lives that will dishonor the Spirit that lives within us.
And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice. Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you (Ephesians 4:30-32 NIV).
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