The blood, pure, dripping red. A sacrifice of sacrifices. A new covenant for all generations, poured out for you. Forgiveness. In times of old, the lamb for slaughter, the laying down, the cutting, and the blood, yes, the blood, as the sacrifice for all wrongs to be righted; then, another day, more lambs, clean animals and clean birds for righteous sacrifices, to appease our heavenly Father. Draining of the blood to cleanse us from all our unrighteous hearts, thoughts, actions.
Then, Jesus, the One Sacrifice with The Blood, would lay down, in the most horrid and cruel of ways, would give Himself, God's Only Son, give All He had, give, yes, even Himself to pay the price, the Sacrifice of all sacrifices, so we one day would accept His love, His forgiveness. To accept Him, living through us, and claiming the everlasting, eternal, never-ending life He offers.
No more, the laying down of individual animals for individual sins, no more the dripping of the blood, the draining, the red below the feet. Now, He gives simply for the asking, for accepting His gift, already given, for His grace upon grace, His mercy. Having the forgiveness of sins whenever we bow before His throne, before the sink, the laundry, the bed, and lifting our eyes, pleading for strength; freely giving when He hears His child's cry. Oh, what joy we have to hold onto, the promise of His life living through us...
"That's What the Blood is For."
True love is this laying down, this giving up what is His for ours, and the total and joyous resurrection of His life, emptying of this life's blood and filled with the everlasting Blood of the God who saves, who lays down and gives the transfusion of His life, taking away our sins of this world.
"In Him we have redemption through His blood,
the forgiveness of our trespasses,
according to the riches of His grace which He lavished on us."
(Eph. 1:7-8a)
"All things are cleansed with blood,
and without shedding of blood there is no forgiveness."
(Heb. 9:22)
"Knowing that you were not redeemed with perishable things
like silver or gold from your futile way of life inherited from your forefathers,
but with precious blood, as of a lamb unblemished and spotless,
the blood of Christ."
(1 Pet. 1:18-19)
We have been redeemed by the Blood, the Blood of Jesus Christ, and "That's What the Blood is For."
I pray as you reflect on this Resurrection Sunday,
you are able to thank Jesus for the Blood,
His Blood, He shed for you, yes,
For You.
Always Experiencing Him,
Jody
