Back at the beginning of this month, our congregation hosted a blood drive at the building. We had a great turnout, with several individuals coming in to give blood, many of whom were regular donators. Donating blood has always been something I have had the desire to do, but there was always one thing holding me back: the blood part. While there are plenty of people in this world who are not affected by blood and those sorts of things, I am NOT among them. The concept of giving blood and potentially helping to save lives sounded great on paper, but the actual sitting down in the chair and having a machine take out what’s supposed to stay in your body certainly made me queasy. Though I was hesitant because of my stomach, Haley encouraged me to try it and just see how it would go. I can happily say that not only did I survive the process, I actually enjoyed it! (If any of you are like me and have worries about it, I strongly recommend trying it! It’s not nearly as bad as we think it is.)
Since that time, I have had my interest in learning more about giving blood and what it can do. In the little bit of research I have done, I’ve discovered some interesting statistics: (found from redcrossblood.org)
- Every 2 seconds, someone in the U.S. needs blood and or platelets
- One donation (usually a pint) can save up to three lives
- Blood and platelets cannot be manufactured; they can only come from volunteer donors.
Though these are just a few of the many pieces of information the Red Cross provides, the concept is pretty straightforward. There is a significant need for blood today! The question is, however, do we recognize the need for spiritual blood today?
People worldwide are dealing with a lack of blood—not the A- or B+ types, but the type that enables their sins to be washed away: the precious blood of Jesus Christ. A great emphasis is placed on this blood all throughout the New Testament. Peter writes that we “were not redeemed with perishable things like silver or gold from your futile way of life inherited from your forefathers, but with the precious blood, as of a lamb unblemished and spotless, the blood of Christ” (1 Peter 1:18-19). Christ has purchased us with his own blood and brought us into His Kingdom. John includes the fact that “if we walk in the Light as He Himself is in the Light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus His Son cleanses us from all sin” (1 John 1:7). He further states in Revelation that Jesus “loves us and released us from our sins by His blood” (1:5). There is absolutely nothing we could do to save ourselves or cleanse ourselves from what we have done against God. There is nothing we can do on our own to be set free from the captor of sin in our lives. It is only through the willing sacrifice of Jesus and the shedding of His blood that we can receive forgiveness for our sins and be made right with God.
Here’s really the point of all of this: not everyone is comfortable with giving their blood, and that’s okay! There is still something we can do to help. While the need for physical blood is great, the need for Christ’s blood in this world is even greater. Just like the statistics above, here are some things to think about:
- Every second of every day, there are people in need of Christ’s blood
- The sacrifice of Christ can save the lives of everyone
- Only through Him giving us His blood can we receive freedom and forgiveness for our sins
We have a responsibility to give what we have received. I encourage each of us to share His blood with others—to show the people around us the redemption, forgiveness, and freedom they can receive through Him. We might not all be blood donors, but let’s work to share the blood of the perfect Donor!
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