Sealed

Today's passage:  Song of Solomon 8
     "Set me as a seal upon thine heart, as a seal upon thine arm: for love is strong as death; jealousy is cruel as the grave:  the coals thereof are coals of fire, which hath a most vehement flame.
         The Oriental Art Institute at University of Chicago campus has a large variety of Middle Eastern seals dating back to the Babylonian and Assyrian Empires. I've seen rectangular and cylindrical seals with squiggly characters from those languages on ceramic pieces.  Sometimes, a king had his particular seal engraved into a ring.  He would use this to sign correspondence, treaties, or decrees.  He would make the impression in melted wax or soft clay that would then harden.  Everyone would know that he had approved what had been written.  Solomon asks the Shulamite to allow him to be the seal on her heart and arm.  The heart I could understand, that is where emotions are stirred.  But why the arm?  That doesn't sound too romantic.  Perhaps because when we really love someone, it involves action.  When I say I love my husband, I show him by what I do.  My arm is probably one of the most active parts of me. 
     God wants to be the seal not only on my heart but on my arm as well.  He wants to be a part of all my daily activities.  I can tell Him I love Him, but if I am not doing anything for Him, I don't really show my love.  If I say I love Him, but never turn the pages of my Bible, it is not very convincing.  If I say I love Him but never pass out a tract, it is vain.  If I say I love Him but never fold my hands and arms in prayer, I am telling Him a lie.  Love is action.
     God put His seal upon me, because He approved me as His correspondence for the world to see.  He put His name on me.  Everyone should know that I belong to Him.  People should be able to see that I belong to the King.  Not any king, the King of kings.  I am His law, I am His love letter, I am His treaty.  I show the world that God made peace with us through His Son, Jesus Christ.  Am I a letter the world wants to read?  Do I represent my King well?  I have His seal of approval on my heart and on my arm.  May I actively be doing things to show my love for Him.  May I make Him proud that He has put His seal on me.