Yet look at you now! Everything is new! Although you were once distant and far away from God, now you have been brought delightfully close to him through the sacred blood of Jesus—you have actually been united to Christ! Ephesians 2:13 TPT
Dear People Who Keep Company with God,
From Genesis to Revelation, the phrase “the blood” appears over four hundred times. It is the Holy Spirit’s way of reminding us what a vital and central role blood plays throughout God’s story in our lives. The blood is the foundation of both the Old Covenant and New Covenant, but with one huge distinction. That difference is between the blood of animals and the blood of God. The blood of God is what makes the New Covenant infinitely more precious and powerful than the Old Covenant. But all the covenants that God initiated in the Bible reveal one glorious truth: God is a relational God. He created us for relationship, and through Christ, we are invited into an intimate family bond with our Heavenly Father. We were once distant and far away from God, but through the sacred blood of Jesus, we have been brought delightfully close to Him. We are one with Christ.
In Christ, we are learning that there is no need to try to get close to God. The blood has brought us near, and the blood can keep us right at His side. When you try to get close to the Lord by your own efforts, you are in essence saying to Him, “What You have accomplished on the cross is not enough, therefore, I need to do something more.” This does not mean you will always feel a nearness to God. On the contrary, there will be times you will feel space and even a wall between Him and yourself, but that is only an illusion. There is a condition that happens with people who have lost legs or arms. They feel pain in the lost limb as if it was still there. It is called phantom memory pain. The memories of our old self, before Christ, tell us we are distant and separated from God, and the devil fosters those feelings. If you do not resist those memories and emotions, condemnation will soon be knocking on your door. You will be tempted to pull away from God or double the vain efforts of trying to overcome the feelings of estrangement. Don’t fall for either. Place your confidence in the power of the blood, not your futile self-efforts.
The Book of James reveals that we can walk away and forsake our intimate relationship with the Father. “Therefore, submit to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Draw near to God, and He will draw near to you.” (James 4:7-8) James is addressing believers that had settled for a nominal relationship with God that led them to live a worldly, prideful, and carnal lifestyle. He exhorts them to repent, submit to the ways of God, resist the deception of the devil and come back to their rightful place beside God’s side. Live your life with the understanding that you are always seated with Christ in the heavenlies at the family table, and if you fail or stumble you can be assured that the Father desires for you to run to Him, not away from Him. Do as James exhorted, and you will see He is not angry, disappointed, or looking to punish you. He wants you to know that you are always by His side. The sacred blood of Christ is your assurance that the Father welcomes you again and again with open arms of mercy, grace, and love (Hebrew 4:16). There is a place at His table just for you.
Many Blessings, BW