Seal of Approval?

When I came back in town from my monthly trip to New Orleans, I had to sort through a stack of mail that had come throughout the week I was gone. Of course there are many varied offers attempting to get me to do everything from sign up for a "pre-approved" credit card, purchase a year or more of a magazine subscription, or give some amount of money to a fund-raiser (which I must say is the best idea of the 3 possibilities, though you just can't give to them all...not to mention that my family has to be clothed and fed first). Anyway, one of the many things in that stack was an offer for a subscription to Good Housekeeping. For some reason, this one struck me as interesting...

On their list of perks you get by subscribing to them, one of the first things mentioned is..."the Good Housekeeping Seal". Yes, you have all heard of it, and often don't even think twice about it except that it sounds pretty good. But really, come on! Who are these Good Housekeeping people and why do I need their "Seal"? (They want us to think we do, after all.) Oh yeah, and in the fine print, it says that "*A few exceptions apply." Another couple of the perks mentioned in the list are "Ask Heloise" and "Money-Back Guarantee" ("If you are not 100% satisfied...").

Interesting that this offer came when it did. In my current Journey Through John (How are you doing on that, by the way? Would love to read some comments - here or on Facebook.), I just happened to be reading this week about Jesus having God's "seal of approval" on Him. (John 6:27) Now THAT's a Seal of Approval I can trust and be 100% satisfied with! What do you think? Are you starting to feel the same way? I feel much more secure asking Him when I have questions/confusions/doubts/needs or even wants, rather than asking "Heloise". After all, "your Father knows what you need before you ask Him."(Matthew 6:8) Who better to ask than someone (THE One) who already knows what you need!?! And as far as that "Money-Back Guarantee", I don't think I need or want that either. One reason...what He gives is FREE!!! (It cost Him A LOT, but nothing but belief is what it costs me!!! That's truly Amazing Grace!) And, another reason...He promises that we will be 100% satisfied by Him (John 6:35 "...He who comes to me will never go hungry, and he who believes in me will never be thirsty.")...no need for a Money-Back Guarantee. If you are still working through my challenge to you from that previous post, then you are most likely reading a lot about the satisfaction and filling that He promises us. If that's not enough for you, search the word "satisfied" on BibleGateway.com and read ("in context") the results that come up in that search. He not only promises satisfaction, but He provides satisfaction over and over again throughout the ages, and the only dissatisfaction that comes is due to stubbornness/rebellion/disobedience/lack of trust in Him - thinking we know a better, easier way.

So...whose Seal of Approval are you going to trust? The FREE one, that's proven over many AGES...or the one you have to PAY FOR that's only been around as long as that magazine has (or less)?

"Choose you this day whom you will serve..." (look it up in Joshua 24:14-16) or better yet...put another way, "If you decide that it's a bad thing to worship God, then choose a god you'd rather serve—and do it today." (That's the same verse, but in "The Message" version.)

Like I have said..."To Not Decide Is To Decide..."!