“And you also were included in Christ when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation.  Having 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 NIV)

Enrolling in a Professional Dog Grooming Course, required me to purchase my own set of groomer’s tools and a proper carrying kit. Having purchased all the necessary equipment and labeled my kit box, I was also instructed, that all my groomer’s tools needed to bear my own specific mark.  This allowed each student to identify their own tools, thus avoiding mix ups as we worked together.

Marking these solid steel instruments however, was no easy task.  Fortunately, a friend of mine had the right equipment to cut a small v shape into the side of each of my cutting blades, scissors, metal combs and clippers.  Once this was achieved, my tools would never be mistaken for anyone else’s.  No one could take them out of my hand, or kit, and claim them as their own.

Likewise, God tells his chosen people that we too are sealed with his very own mark: that of the Holy Spirit who indwells all who come to know Christ Jesus, as Lord and Saviour.  The Holy Spirit, in turn continues to mark us as God’s tools for the glory of his Kingdom, through the fruits of the Spirit.  Love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control, show the whole world to whom we belong.  Romans 8:35 assures us that nothing can separate us from Christ: not trouble or hardship or persecution or famine, or nakedness or danger or sword, while in John 10:28, Jesus states that no one can snatch them (believers) out of my Father’s hand.  The Father knows us.  He has marked us as his own, now and forever.  What a marvelous truth and assurance, allowing us to rest in the One in whom we have believed, the Saviour of our souls, who is able to guard that which we have entrusted to him for eternity (See 2 Timothy 1:12).

Prayer: Father God, thank you that we your children are marked with the seal of your Holy Spirit who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God’s possession—to the praise of your glory, now and forever.  Amen.

Lynne Phipps
Tawatinaw, Alberta, Canada