Tag: sacrifice

Lifeblood

A precious woman in my circle passed away this week. She lived a long life and was ready to go home to her Creator and Savior. I remember hearing her say that we do not talk about the blood of Christ enough anymore. “It’s all about the blood,” she told me. The conversation stuck with me and ever since I have noticed Bible verses, songs, and messages that directly reference the blood of Christ. I am writing this post in remembrance of that dear woman and her desire for the sacrifice and power of Jesus’ blood to be known, respected, and celebrated.

For the life of a creature is in the blood, and I have given it to you to make atonement for yourselves on the altar; it is the blood that makes atonement for one’s life. (Leviticus 17:11, NIV)

God emphasized the importance of blood to the Israelites; blood contains life. It carries oxygen and nutrients to our cells. It carries waste to organs that filter and expel it from the body. Blood also fights infection and delivers regulatory hormones. It contains living cells and is essential to our well-being. Blood is powerful!

God has also chosen blood to be the vessel of atonement. Starting with the first human sin, innocent blood was shed to pay the penalty:

Then the Lord God made clothes out of animal skins for the man and his wife. (Genesis 3:21, CEV)

When Adam and Eve disobeyed God, they became aware of their nakedness and felt ashamed. To cover their bodies and assuage their shame, God killed animals and used their skins to make clothes. The penalty of human sin has always included the shedding of innocent blood.

Centuries later, on the night of the first Passover, God used the blood of a lamb to mark the homes of His children and save them from death:

The blood will be a sign for you on the houses where you are, and when I see the blood, I will pass over you.  (Exodus 12:13, NIV)

In this case, the blood of innocent lambs was used as a protection; it marked a home where the occupants were obedient to God. The firstborn sons and animals of the household were spared physical death through the sacrifice and blood of one lamb. God instructed His people to remember this through a special celebration every year.

The law requires that nearly everything be cleansed with blood, and without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness. (Hebrews 9:22, NIV)

Sacrifices were God’s prescribed way for His people to make amends for their sin — whether intentional or unintentional — and indicate their commitment to Him. Most of these sacrifices, as outlined in Leviticus, required the blood of an animal without blemish or defect. The shedding of blood and sacrifice of the animal restored a person to good standing with God. It paid the penalty for their sin and state of being spiritual unclean before God. Of course, this foreshadowed the sacrifice Jesus would make. The New Testament repeatedly references the life-giving power of the blood of Christ:

…After the supper [Jesus] took the cup, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood, which is poured out for you.” (Luke 22:20, NIV)

God presented Christ as a sacrifice of atonement, through the shedding of his blood. (Romans 3:25, NIV)

But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Since we have now been justified by his blood, how much more shall we be saved from God’s wrath through him!  (Romans 5:8-9, NIV)

In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins. (Ephesians 1:7, NIV)

But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far away have been brought near by the blood of Christ. (Ephesians 2:13, NIV)

The only way we can experience far more life is by acknowledging that Christ gave up His life — His blood — to pay the penalty for our sins. Being sinless, He was innocent before God and in the position to sacrifice Himself for our benefit. His blood is the perfect sacrifice, more spiritually powerful than any animal sacrifice:

The blood of goats and bulls and the ashes of a heifer sprinkled on those who are ceremonially unclean sanctify them so that they are outwardly clean. How much more, then, will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself unblemished to God, cleanse our consciences from acts that lead to death, so that we may serve the living God! (Hebrews 9:13-14, NIV)

Unlike the other high priests, he does not need to offer sacrifices day after day, first for his own sins, and then for the sins of the people. He sacrificed for their sins once for all when he offered himself.  (Hebrews 7:27, NIV)

With your blood you purchased for God persons from every tribe and language and people and nation. (Revelation 5:9, NIV)

The blood of Jesus purifies us completely from every sin we commit at any time in our life. He does not need to die over and over again. Knowing we are forgiven of every sin clears our conscience so we are free to live for God instead of being afraid of being punished by Him. And Jesus’ sacrifice applies to people of all cultures, races, and ethnicities; anyone can accept His offer of forgiveness.

Most of us do not like to focus on our sin or on blood. It is easy to minimize our wrongs or take Jesus’ sacrifice for granted. But as I remember my friend today, I also remember her challenge to pay proper respect to the blood of Jesus. To remember the high cost He paid so we could have far more life.

Sisters,
What life-giving aspect of blood is most meaningful to you? Why?
Imagine you are Eve and watch God spill an animal’s blood to clothe your nakedness. How would you feel? How would it change your obedience to God’s commands?
How has the blood of Jesus cleansed your conscience? Has that impacted your eagerness to serve Him?
Thank Jesus for sacrificing His blood and offering you far more life!
-Shari

Copyright 2021, Shari Damaso
Image by Arek Socha from Pixabay


Far More Thanks

He who offers a sacrifice of thanksgiving honors Me. (Psalm 50:23, NASB)

Offering thanks to God does not sound like a sacrifice, but sometimes it is. We can be so bogged down — by a hard situation or just the daily demands of life — that we forget to be thankful. It takes effort to consciously include it in our thoughts and prayers. God knows this, so He gave us clear instructions:

Whatever happens, give thanks, because it is God’s will in Christ Jesus that you do this. (I Thessalonians 5:18, GW)

God’s will — His desire, His best plan for us — is that we thankfully remember all He has done for us and all He provides for us. We find far more life when we look beyond our circumstances and give thanks. Thankfulness is a powerful tool that helps us keep our hearts and minds in alignment with His perspective.

Devote yourselves to prayer, keeping alert in it with an attitude of thanksgiving; (Colossians 4:2, NASB)

I confess that I spend more prayer time asking God for things than thanking Him. It is easy to focus on my request — especially when interceding for someone else — and forget to thank God. When I fail to give thanks, I can easily slip into the mindset that God should do what I want and fulfill all my wishes, desires, and requests. But that is not God’s best for me!

When we follow His instruction and maintain an attitude of thankfulness in our prayers we are more likely to walk in far more life. We become alert to thoughts and feelings that are contrary to the power of the Spirit. We more consistently experience the peace, joy, and other fruit of the Spirit rather than falling into anger, apathy, or dissatisfaction. We handle disappointment better and can more fully connect with others in their joys and struggles. We feel more satisfied and find far more life even in circumstances where it previously eluded us.

I will give thanks to the Lord with all my heart; I will tell of all Your wonders. (Psalm 9:1, NASB)

Focusing on thankfulness helps us recognize God’s work in and around us, often in situations where we would otherwise overlook it. We are faster to give God credit and our faith is strengthened. We grow in patience, kindness, generosity, and graciousness since we see the evidence of His work. We are slower to become fearful or worried as our trust in Him increases. We are also more aware of our need for Him and our limitations, which makes us more likely to follow His instructions. Giving thanks goes beyond the words we say; it is a far more life mindset that impacts how we perceive and respond to the world around us.

There is scientific support that supports God’s instruction. A 2014 article in Forbes shared these research-backed benefits of thankfulness:

  • Gratitude opens the door to more relationships; people are more likely to seek out a relationship with someone who expresses thanks.
  • Gratitude improves physical health, including fewer aches and pains and increased likelihood of exercise and self-care.
  • Gratitude improves psychological health, including increased happiness and decreased depression.
  • Gratitude enhances empathy and reduces aggression, leading to lower interest in retaliation or revenge.
  • People sleep better and longer when they write in a thankfulness journal before bed.
  • Gratitude improves self-esteem and reduces comparing ourselves to others.
  • Gratitude increases mental strength, reducing stress and increasing resilience to difficulty.

No wonder God instructed us to be thankful!

I know many people have Thanksgiving traditions to help them remember thankfulness. Consider building on that to form a new habit: daily thankfulness. The sacrifice is small compared to the far more life it reaps.

Sisters,
Does giving thanks require sacrifice? What barriers get in your way?
What helps you give thanks in difficult circumstances?
How can you incorporate more thanksgiving into your prayers?
What benefits do you notice at times you are thankful?
I hope today is the start of a year of thankfulness — and a year of far more life!
-Shari

Copyright 2019-20, Shari Damaso