When I was young, people with tattoos were a rarity. Today, it seems like they are in the majority. Speaking of tattoos, it is remarkable to me that so many folks choose to tattoo the names of their “significant” others on their bodies. Despite all the available technology, removing these marks even today is no easy thing and the day will surely come that many who made this mistake will wish they could make them disappear. Whether self inflicted or not, there are many marks in our bodies, however, that will remain with us until our dying day. There is one mark, although invisible to the naked eye, I am glad will be with us until Jesus comes for us. I am referring to the seal of the Holy Spirit. Regarding this seal, Paul wrote: “And you also were included in Christ when you heard the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation. When you believed, you were marked in Him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God’s possession—to the praise of his glory.” (Ephesians 1:13-14) Perhaps my theology may be off a bit, but I believe the angels of God will be looking for this seal when our day to leave this world arrives. I don’t know about you, but to this simple minded man, this is the way I see this divine process: On the day I gave my heart to Jesus, He told the Holy Spirit: “Put our seal on this one; he is one of ours.” There is this dear church member, perhaps some of you may know her, who upon hearing me say “I’m happy to see you”, always replies “I’m happy to be seen.” With her in mind, I gladly say “I’m so happy to be sealed.” The Apostle Paul wrote one day: “From now on let no one trouble me, for I bear in my body the marks of the Lord Jesus.” (Galatians 6:17) Among his many “marks” some were surely the scars of the wounds he received in his physical body, whether by whippings, beatings, or stonings. Very few of us can make such a statement for we have no such visible marks in our bodies. Nevertheless, because we belong to Christ, just like Paul did, we have one of his marks, the seal of the holy Spirit. Aren’t you glad you are a “marked” man or woman?

God’s word for today: (Revelation 7:2-3) “Then I saw another angel coming up from the east, having the seal of the living God. He called out in a loud voice to the four angels who had been given power to harm the land and the sea: “Do not harm the land or the sea or the trees until we put a seal on the foreheads of the servants of our God.”