Stepping into the Big Red Bus I was preparing to make my every other month blood donation. Frequent donations are needed to supply hospitals with that precious lifesaving blood. I finished my questionnaire and was waiting for my turn when I overheard a conversation between a worker and a potential donor. The worker was reading the results of the iron level test and told the potential donor, “I’m sorry but you do not qualify to donate blood today”.
Thinking through this whole process I thought of our Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ. He gave His blood to save not just one person but the whole world. 1 Peter 1:18-19 informs us: “Knowing that you were not redeemed with corruptible things, like silver or gold, from your aimless conduct received by tradition from your fathers, but with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot”. Unlike the blood donor who followed me, Jesus was infinitely qualified to lay down His life because He never sinned. The Father approved and qualified His Son to pay the debt of our sins.
I was reading the paperwork while donating and it told me that I would be able to donate once again in 56 days. That is the way blood donations work. The process is never over, it continues. However when Christ died on the cross His blood was shed as a once for all time sacrifice. Hebrews 7:27 declares: “He doesn’t need to offer sacrifices every day, as high priests do—first for their own sins, then for those of the people. He did this once for all when He offered Himself”.
As I was finishing my donation process I noticed several posters on the wall of people whose lives were saved as a result of blood donations. All of those people were saying thank you to the blood donors. We who have had our sins forgiven and salvation secured by the ultimate blood donor Jesus Christ need to add our praise and thankfulness to the list of those redeemed by the blood. Let us praise God for the precious gift of the blood of Jesus.