Mailbox Sheltering: The Final

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The sealing ministry of God the Holy Spirit is God’s final stamp of approval which guarantees that you will be in heaven forever. ~John Farley


Did you ever get a letter with the letters SWAK on the back flap?  If so, I don't need to tell you the letters stand for "Sealed with a kiss."  Most of us who received love letters saw this acronym on our envelopes -- and wrote it a few times ourselves.  However, it was actually begun during WWII when soldier boys were writing their sweethearts back home.  Only they used SWALK -- sealed with a loving kiss.

Hundreds of years before the gummed envelopes were sealed with a kiss, envelopes were sealed with wax.  (I wish I still had my seal from childhood days.  It added a specialness to personal mail -- ah, the nostalgic thought -- the burgundy puddle of wax, the press of the seal, the permanent embossing left on wax.)

A seal on an envelope was an indisputable seal of authenticity.  While reading this bit of trivia, a verse in 2 Corinthians came to mind -- [God] set his seal of ownership on us.

My mother at her writing desk

God has sealed us, signifying our redemption through His Son.  It's a seal of grace.  Undeserved, unmerited and amazing.  We are His.  I believe if we are wearing God's seal, the imprint of His Son, Jesus, will be evident in our life.

Sealing wax came in different colors: black for mourning, red for business, green for surgeons, white for religious orders and yellow or brown for ordinary people.  I want God's sealing wax on my life to be red -- red for the blood that cleanses me from sin.

Just as we heat the wax in order to apply it to our envelope flap, so we, too, are sometimes burned by the fire of life.  It is then our choice which seal of approval we will accept.  Beeswax was used for seals of long ago.  But because of the neutral and varying shades it was found that people could open the letter and reseal it with new wax; thus the need for a personal seal.

I refuse to allow Satan a chance to reseal my justification and sanctification, creating in me a mere imitation of who I am in Christ.  I want others to see Authentic Child of God written on my life.  I want His seal of approval.  I want the imprint of Jesus to be evident -- my heart sealed by God Himself.

O to grace how great a debtor?

Daily I'm constrained to be

Let Thy goodness like a fetter

Bind my wandering heart to Thee...

Here's my heart Lord take and seal it --

Seal it for Thy courts above.

As we close this series of Mailbox Sheltering, I want to thank you for all your beautiful comments.  It's been obvious to me that many of you treasure the letter writing process.  You have pledged to put mail in someone's box.  I find joy in your friendships.  In many of you I see God's seal -- I hear Him say, "This is my seal. She is mine.  Learn of me through her."  With your seal from God, you shelter. You shelter your family, your church family and your "world-wide" family.  God sees and is pleased.  I feel and am blessed.  

When our sheltering on earth is over, those of us sealed by God will rise to meet Him.  I can't wait to meet Rebecca, Miss Kathy, Jen, Charlotte and Ginger, Glenda, Debbie and all of you who shelter me with your words.  I see God's red seal of redemption shining through you and one day I'll meet you around the throne. 

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