Precious Blood
I woke up early today and headed over to Labcorp to have my quarterly blood work drawn. Although a routine part of life for a diabetic, my eyes grew wide when the screen popped up indicating the need for four vials of my blood. Not just small vials, but vials the size of a man's index finger.
With my usual bravery and calm demeanor, I grimaced and looked away out the window. Although I tried to think of something funny, nothing came to mind.
After a minor stick and less than a minute, my proficient phlebotomist had her quarry and I was on my way. As I got up to leave, my eyes went to the plastic container where all four vials of my precious blood lay waiting to be shipped off to the lab. Seemed like a waste of something so vital to my existence.
From the earliest age, we are taught that our blood is very important. Even the smallest cut got Mom's attention and resulted in quick action to cleanse the wound, paint it with some kind of antiseptic and cover the wound with a Band-aid.
Coffee Table Crash Landing
During typical horseplay, my Dad would toss me up in the air and catch me. Flying through the air usually was accompanied by airplane sounds. On one ill-fated flight, he missed catching me and I crash-landed face first on the coffee table. Although jarring, my mouth took the brunt of the collision.
When I looked up, my Father's face contorted with horror and fear. He summoned my Mom who quickly applied ice, covered in a wash rag, to the bleeding area. Something about the sight of blood sent both of them into high warble.
Although veterans of WWII, there was something special about the blood of their youngest child. A primeval alarm bell rang in their heads. At the hospital, the doctor wanted to sew my lip up to prevent scarring as it healed. That's when I got scared and started crying uncontrollably, not to mention thrashing around. The staff brought my Dad over to the table where I lay crying. He got the job of holding me down while the doctor sewed. Although I my fear remained, something about Dad's compassionate face calmed me down. His obvious love overwhelmed my fear.
Heavenly Father
The story of humanity is really a tale about a loving Father in heaven. He cared so much about us that He sent His only Son to Earth. Jesus willingly took on the huge task of becoming the sacrifice to save us from our sins.
A mere apology won't cut the mustard with a holy God. Even sincere tears aren't enough to atone for the seriousness of our offenses toward the Lord. God knew this from the earliest days of humanity. We would only understand the depth of depravity of our sin if we could see the cost of redeeming us from that wrongdoing.
When God put all of mankind's sins on His only, perfect, sinless Son, that sacrifice became the difference between an eternity of punishment and pain for you and me and the opportunity for an eternity in bliss with God. All we have to do is choose life instead of death. Accept the precious blood sacrifice of Jesus as atonement for our depravity. Believe on the Son of God and make Him Lord of lives and we become new creatures forever.
Won't you surrender the reins of your life to God right now? Let Him drive for the rest of your life. Follow Jesus and find out just how much life there is in Christ. He poured out His own precious blood so that you and I can live to the fullest.
Next Steps
Salvation isn't about a momentary prayer, though it can make all the difference in your eternity. Accepting Christ as the leader of your life means you agree to follow where He wants to take you. Although none of knows what that will mean for you, there are certain principles that will help you make the most of your new birth. Find a Bible-teaching fellowship where you can learn from experienced believers. Throw yourself into loving others and helping in the Name of Jesus. By serving others, we can become more like Jesus - the ultimate example of service. Imitate Christ's example by getting baptized as a way of telling others about the change in your heart. Finally, read the Bible for yourself. Start with the Book of John in the New Testament and branch out from there. Remember that you don't have to do this new life on your own. God will direct you and your brothers and sisters in Jesus will help you.
Author News
I'm so excited that The Accidental Missionary: A Gringo's Love Affair with Peru has been released. David Bredeman allowed me to help him tell the story of his unusual calling and the crazy, fun adventures that ensued. Follow him to Peru. Learn about the indigenous people who benefited from his ministry. Re-live the excitement of camping along Amazon tributaries and meeting panthers, howler monkeys and anaconda. Feel his great love for a lovely Bible student named Emma who he hopes to make his wife. We are running various promotions throughout June to help many learn about this book. Please get a copy; read it; and leave a review on Amazon.com. This will greatly help us spread the word in the months and years ahead.
Click here to get the book.
