Friday, October 10, 2008

Your Life Depends on It

Leviticus 17:11 For the life of a creature is in the blood...

Our blood is a truly amazing substance. It is the fluid that transports nutrients and oxygen to every cell throughout your body; it carries carbon dioxide and other waste products from the cells; it regulates body temperature; it has white cells that fight infection and disease and it carries hormones and other chemical substances that regulate bodily functions. It is very clear that our very life depends on the health of our blood. The functions and properties of our physical blood are a beautiful picture of what Christ's Blood does for us as believers spiritually. Consider these similarities:

Our blood is comprised of three basic parts - red blood cells, white blood cells and platelets. What our blood does for our physical bodies - nourish, heal, detoxify, cleanse and energize - Jesus' Blood does for our spirits, souls and bodies. It cleanses us of sin, protects us as we plead the Blood, nourishes and heals our relationship with the Father by allowing us to enter His Presence.

When someone becomes anemic, they are weakened and easily fatigued. By keeping the blood healthy through proper nutrition, we experience energy and strength. Jesus' Blood also has energy. It gives us the boldness to enter His Presence and energizes us to continue walking by faith. His Blood actually acts in the spiritual realm as antibodies act in the physical realm. Once exposed to a particular germ, white blood cells create antibodies to kill that specific bacteria or virus and you develop immunity against it. Once you accept the shedding of His Blood on your behalf, and honor it, you begin building immunity to the sins that once so captivated you.

One of the most important functions of the blood is to regulate your temperature. If it deviates too far either way from the normal of 98.6 degrees, permanent brain and organ damage can occur. In a very real way, Christ's Blood regulates our spiritual temperature. Revelation 3:16 tells us that God will spit lukewarm Christians out of His mouth. Depending on the Blood daily not only to cleanse us from sin, but to reconcile us to the Father and sanctify us for His use corrects our "spiritual temperature."

Red blood cells carry oxygen to every cell of our bodies without which we would die. Jesus' Blood also floods every part of us with newness of life. Platelets cause the blood to clot when you cut or injure yourself, otherwise you would bleed to death. Likewise, His Blood is the assurance that we can never lose our salvation. His Blood contains our spiritual platelets!

Honor His Blood and nourish your physical blood - our life is in the blood.

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