Devotions

Jesus’ blood is not like my blood. 

“He destined us for adoption as his children through Jesus Christ, according to the good pleasure of his will, to the praise of his glorious grace that he freely bestowed on us in the Beloved. In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace that he lavished on us. With all wisdom and insight he has made known to us the mystery of his will, according to his good pleasure that he set forth in Christ.” Ephesians 1:5-9 (NRSV) 

I don’t like blood. I can recall how as a kid I couldn’t wait to pick out just the right Band-Aid to cover up my boo-boos. But in the midst of my disdain for seeing blood, I am also very much aware of its power to bring life to the body. God knows this very well! It is God who created our human bodies in all their vastness and intricacies. We are indeed fearfully and wonderfully made! This is why I can’t help but give reverence and attention right now to the blood of Jesus; who came to this earth to save us, to forgive us, and to bring us eternal life in his name! 

Jesus’ blood is not like my blood. Well, it is in the sense that Jesus lived a human life, too. But Jesus’ blood has divine life-giving powers co-mingled with humanity. This is a blood that ultimately saves, not scares. This is a blood that will never lose its power! So let us remember, church, even in this season, that no Band-Aid nor calamity can render the blood of Jesus to lose its power. Remember that the blood of Jesus was shed for you and for many for the forgiveness of sins and so that we might have life in his name according to God’s grace! So may we now have a metaphorical infusion of this blood into all of human life in this season to bring us help, strength, and the abiding presence of the divine. May the blood of Jesus still be at work in this season to bring redemption and restoration to the whole of the earth. I am leaning on this sacred truth... God is with us! 

 Josh Miles 

 “I put people on the moon.” 

“So we are ambassadors for Christ, since God is making his appeal through us…” 2 Corinthians 5:20 

What a blessed privilege it is to be an ambassador for Jesus Christ. I still remember Chuck Hodges telling the story about the custodian who worked for NASA. One day, while the custodian was sweeping the floors at the Space Center, someone asked them: “What’s your job here?” 

They responded, “I put people on the moon.” 

It’s important that we realize our worth; even as that custodian at NASA did in the illustration above. The holy scriptures help to reveal our worth in the light, love, and grace of God. Let us cling to them in these days and discover anew who God says we are! Even in this strange season, it is important to remember that we are STILL ambassadors for Christ. This is true in our homes. It’s true in virtual meetings and phone calls. It’s true in hand-written letters, emails, and text messages. It’s true in how we interact on social media and how we treat people and think of them in daily living. Are people’s names safe in our mouths and minds? Let us not forget who we are and who has called us into discipleship and transformation in this world. We are ambassadors for our most holy Savior, Jesus Christ. 

Josh Miles