A few months ago I was in my kitchen with my friend Dan; we were contemplating life, dealing with difficulties and venting about the frustrations of this age… but after awhile of discussion we remembered to remember Him and desired to rest in His presence and peace.Jesus said, ‘…and do this in remembrance of Me.’ Eat this bread and drink this wine …do this, to remember Me. In the middle of circumstance we sought to remember Jesus at the cross. But instead of the small crumb and tiny shot glass of juice that one usually gets in church, we decided to each eat a whole slice of bread and drink a full glass of drink… for in doing so we thought our remembrance would be brought to a slow contemplation of what had actually occurred 2000 years ago. …that with the multiple bites of the bread, we might be reminded that the cross took place through the pain staking confines of time, and how for endless hours He was subjected to immense suffering and torture; while with each staggered gulp of drink volumes of blood spilled out of the broken body of the Holy One… …and for me.
So as I knelt on the cold kitchen floor, I thought of what was I was about to do… …its true, I was about to put to death the Perfect Creator, crucify the Christ ….and kill an innocent Friend!!! …as this thought ran through my heart I could not do it …I could neither eat nor drink… for how could I considered it fair to have this man suffer for my wrong doings, and how could I allow another to receive a punishment which was rightly mine to receive. And so I sat there still neither eating nor drinking.
…silence settled in the room, but after some time…
…He whispered to me, ‘There’s no other way… …if you want to meet with Me you have to go through the cross… …for there’s no other way available.’
I wanted to meet with God, but in doing so I was forced to kill the Christ… my heart broke. Why should the innocent have to be punished for the guilty? Why should He have to die for me?
To meet with Him, to stand in the presence of the Perfect I myself must be perfect… for impurity can not mix with that which is Pure. Forgiveness is needed. My imperfections need to be forgiven (made right). Yet forgiveness requires blood, and Perfect Forgiveness requires Perfect Blood. But why specifically blood? Why not flowers, gold or some other created thing?
Yet Blood equals Love …and as it is stated, ‘Greater love has no one than this, that one lay down his life for his friends.’ For it can also be said that one’s life is found in their blood, and so the greatest love is even displayed when ‘one lay down his Blood for his friends.’ And yet God is love. So the Greatest God (Love) could of only been revealed through Dying (spilling His Blood) for His Beloved, first His Father and second for us. Could we of expected any less from our God… Love Divine, perfect in all His ways.
Again, Forgiveness requires Blood (Heb.
To accept God’s Forgiveness, is to accept God’s Love and to accept God’s Love is to accept God’s blood (Jesus). For those who believe in Jesus the Deliverer… have infused themselves with the love, blood (even life) and forgiveness of God, and have been allowed to enter the Perfect and Divine, even the very presence of God. Glory and mighty songs of joy to our God of all Perfection.
Let us, and even if it may be hard, accept the heart grabbing gift of the Divine Love (the cross) for God has chosen it to be the Perfect and Only way. I pray that this Perfect Love will produce all gratitude and thankfulness, compelling each of us to surrender all that we are to His majesty and service… for it the least that we could ever do, in respect to the most Amazing of all gifts. Let us glory and celebrate with a thankful heart… receiving His love, His forgiveness and His blood (even Jesus)… sharing Him (Love) with all.
Thank you for your love and prayers… they most certainly have been received and felt. Much love to His glory. g-
