Lifeblood

So here we are on the last day of February which is Leap Year which only happens every 4 years has we prepare ourselves for the New Week let's take a moment to reflect on these words. Without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness. Hebrews 9:22 Mary Ann believed in God and His Son Jesus, but she struggled with why Jesus had to shed His blood to bring salvation. Who would think of cleansing something with blood? Yet the Bible says, “The law requires that nearly everything be cleansed with blood” (Heb. 9:22). That, in Mary Ann’s opinion, was disgusting! Then one day she had to go to a hospital. A genetic condition had altered her immune system, and doctors became alarmed when the illness started attacking her blood. As she was in the emergency room she thought, If I lose my blood, I will die. But Jesus shed His blood so I can live! Jesus made His sacrifice our sacrifice, His life our life, and His Father our Father. Suddenly everything made sense. In the midst of her pain, Mary Ann felt joy and peace. She understood that blood is life, and a holy life was needed to make peace with God for us. Today she is alive and well, thanking God for her health and for Jesus’ sacrifice on her behalf. Hebrews 9 explains the meaning of the Old Testament blood ritual (vv. 16-22) and the once and for all offering of Jesus that brought animal sacrifice to an end (vv. 23-26). Bearing our sin, He willingly died and shed His blood to become our sacrifice. We now have confidence to enter God’s presence. How could we ever thank Jesus enough for making His sacrifice our sacrifice, His life our life, and His Father our Father? Lord, I thank You for Jesus and for the shedding of His blood for me. I want to live my life in gratitude to You. The blood of Christ washes away our sins. INSIGHT: The writer of Hebrews compares the old covenant initiated by Moses (9:1–23) with the new covenant initiated by Jesus (9:24–10:18). As High Priest and “mediator of a new covenant” (9:15), Christ did not offer the blood of animals (v. 19) that could not take away sins; He sacrificed Himself “once for all . . . to do away with sin” (v. 26).