Message summary: Christ’s shed blood has brought millions into reconciliation and peace with God; those who have by faith willingly accepted this provision. Have you already done so?

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"For God was pleased to have all His fullness dwell in Him, and through Him to reconcile to Himself all things, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace through His blood, shed on the cross" (Colossians 1:19,20).

On Saturday Brooksyne and I donated blood for the Red Cross. We've been hearing that there is a critical shortage of blood during the pandemic so we were pleased to get out and do our part. In a sense we even went to church, well, we went to our church gymnasium, that is, where the blood drive was held. Brooksyne gave whole blood, as we both usually do, but this time I donated using a method known as "power red" which took a double helping of my red blood cells. (See video below)

Power Red is similar to a whole blood donation, except a special machine is used to allow me to safely donate two units of red blood cells during one donation while returning my plasma and platelets (as seen to my left in the photo).

We have participated in these blood drives since our college days nearly forty years ago donating in a variety of settings. For a number of years the church where I pastored in northern Pennsylvania hosted the Red Cross blood drives for that area. But I am not sure if I ever gave a "power red" donation before.

We prayed after our donations that God would use them to help someone in need. I still find it fascinating and somewhat inspiring to join others from all walks of life lying on the reclining table and giving blood. We’re willing to accept the "small pinch", slight weakening, time and inconvenience knowing that our blood may very well help save another life.

Now we have the additional dimension of everyone wearing a mask which contributes to what blogger Mike Katz calls an "emotionless experience". Even with the volunteers and phlebotomists dawned in their variety of masks the atmosphere was pleasant and the purpose for why we gathered made the event very worthwhile as all the slots for donations were filled.

When Ester was little we took her with us and explained to her what this all meant since she has benefited many times from donors because of her multiple heart surgeries. We prayed for the people who would be receiving the blood and we talked about an infinitely greater blood donation when Jesus Christ made peace for us through His blood, shed on the cross.

This blood donation involved God’s only begotten Son and was certainly not a source of minor pain or inconvenience. He agonized in great pain and died a horrific death when He voluntarily gave His blood for us.

When we give our blood at best we will extend another’s life for a brief duration, no matter their age, in the span of eternity. Yet that duration is wholly significant to the one receiving the blood and his or her loved ones. It has a significant but limited power in regard to the extent it can help someone else. But the redeeming blood of Christ was instrumental in the reconciling of all things and the making of peace between man and God for every generation. This blood has unlimited power to save to the uttermost for "the blood of Jesus His Son cleanses us from all sin" (1 John 1:7).

In order for our blood to do any good a recipient must accept it through a transfusion. It won’t have any effect just sitting in a warehouse. But Christ’s shed blood has already brought millions into reconciliation and peace with God who have by faith yielded their lives to Him by accepting this provision. Have you done so?



Be encouraged today,


Stephen & Brooksyne Weber

Daily prayer: Father, it is only through the sacrificial blood of Your Son that my sins are forgiven. My guilty stains are plunged into the bottom of the ocean to be remembered no more. All the adjectives in one’s vocabulary cannot adequately describe the depth of my gratitude for such a selfless act of love.  Thank You, Jesus, for freely shedding Your blood on my behalf even while I was dead in my transgressions and sins. Your redeeming blood frees me from the penalty of sin in this life and for all eternity. Amen.