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2 Corinthians 1-2


What a joy it’s been reading through seven books of the New Testament and chapters of Psalms together!  Today we’ve begun reading II Corinthians.

I was especially drawn to these words that Paul wrote in verse 22 of chapter 1:  (God) set his seal of ownership on us…  

In Paul’s day, a wax stamp was placed on a scroll/letter to show ownership of whatever was contained within. The significance of the seal depended on the importance of the one whose seal it was. In Esther 3:12, King Ahasuerus’s decree to annihilate the Jews and then his later decree to bless them were sealed with his signet ring to indicate their authenticity.

When I was a Notary Public, I used an embossing seal to authenticate a person’s signature on a sworn statement. While notaries no longer must use an embossing seal, other legal documents still require some type of seal. If you apply for a REAL ID and expect to use your birth certificate, it must contain a raised seal to prove it’s an authentic original. Our Holy God’s seal has so very much more meaning!

I am blessed to be assured that I have received God’s seal of ownership. I am amazed that God found me worthy of His seal…and am reminded that it’s only because of what Jesus did for me, for all of us, on the cross.

Elsie Shepherd

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