Recently I was talking to a friend about who shed the first drop of innocent blood in the Bible.  Her answer: “Cain.”  There was a time when I would have said the same thing.  But since reading every scripture from Genesis to Matthew that mentioned blood, I know the real answer is “God”.  Yes, God Himself shed the first drop of blood when He made coats of animal skins for Adam and Eve after the fall. That meant an innocent animal had to die in order to cover their sins. 

From this we can see that right from the beginning God set up the blood standard, that “it is the blood that maketh an atonement for the soul” (Leviticus 17:11).   Sin was not to be paid for by gold or silver; or compensated for by good works; or exonerated because of family ties, lineage, or status.  That’s why in the Old Testament under the Law the priests slaughtered animals and sprinkled their blood over the altar to atone not only for individual sins but for the nation’s sins. “In fact, under the Law almost everything is purified by means of blood, and without the shedding of blood there is neither release from sin and its guilt nor the remission of the due and merited punishment for sins” (Hebrews 9:22 Amplified Bible). Still . . . all this was but a foreshadowing of things to come; a foreshadowing of the perfect solution.

Enter Jesus, the Lamb who allowed Himself to be slaughtered for you and me. “Ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers: but with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot.”(1 Peter 18-19)  

I don’t know why it took me over thirty years to connect the dots, thirty years to move from a vague knowledge that Jesus came and died for the sins of the world to the absolute knowledge that He died for me; that all my good works were but filthy rags in God’s sight (Isaiah 64:6); and that the only standard that God acknowledges is the blood standard.  And that God, not only instituted this standard but actually completely satisfied it Himself.  Period.  The end.

This Thanksgiving, if I had to name the one thing I am most grateful for, it would be the blood standard. Because of it, and because I have acknowledged and appropriated it for myself, I have peace with God.  I am accepted. I am forgiven.  I have a hope and a future that extends far beyond this earthy realm.  I can’t think of anything more wonderful.

Happy Thanksgiving,

Until next week,

Sylvia

Thanksgiving has made most of us take inventory of all the things we have to be grateful for: freedom, family, friends, a roof over our heads, clothes, food, health, a job. The list is endless.  God has been good to us. We are a blessed nation.  And most of us God lovers are greatly blessed individually, as well. But what would happen if we lost some of these blessings?  Would we still be grateful?  Still have an attitude of gratitude? Still believe God loved us?

“Americans don’t know how to do poor.” That’s what one Peruvian woman said who grew up in an 8x10 dirt floor shack with ten others. I think for the most part she’s right. I spent some of Thanksgiving listening to people who have traveled to places where entire populations had little freedom, clothing, food, shelter, or health. We take so much for granted.  And we American Christians often take God for granted, too.  We equate prosperity with our reward from God.  Some even believe it’s their due.  We’ve come to think like the world thinks. If we perform well, do all the “right” things, then God will bless us. But what if the blessings don’t continue to come? Or are removed altogether?  Does that mean God no longer favors us? 

It’s true that often God’s judgment for sin comes in the form of hardship, depravation, suffering.  It’s not true that hardship, depravation and suffering always mean God’s judgment or disfavor. After all, since the Bible says it rains on the just and unjust alike, the reverse is true: drought (or a down-turn economy) can affect both the just and unjust. Sometimes God allows hard times to come our way even when we’re doing everything “right”. Why?  Because He loves us.  Because He wants to forge our character, to sandpaper those rough edges of ours, to train us, to bring us into a deeper place with Him. Think back.  Wasn’t it during those difficult times that you learned the most?  Grew the most as a person?

Some of us are facing tough times now. Many others will probably face them before too long.  A portion of these problems might be self inflicted. If they are we can learn from them as well. But others are inflicted upon us.  No matter what the case, we can learn and grow. And if we have an attitude of gratitude, if we trust God to see us through, we can end up on the other side better than when we began. 

As we near the end of a difficult 2009 and look forward to an uncertain 2010, let us keep our eyes on God, the One who is our refuge and strength in times of trouble.

Until next week,

Sylvia