"Nothing But The Blood . . ."

“What can wash away my sin? Nothing but the blood of Jesus.  Oh precious is the flow, that makes me white as snow.”  I’ve never really thought about the actual depth of meaning that even just that phrase has. “Oh precious is the flow” . . . Precious means so much. It’s a word that holds such value.  I mean, if something is precious,  you would do just about anything to keep it safe and guarded.  It has value to you . . . maybe not to the rest of the world, but to you it is worth the world.  Something precious, is that thing that brings a sparkle to your eye, but so often brings pain to your heart.  Something that costs you nothing is cheap and expendable, but if that something cost you dearly. . .its value increases immeasurably.  How often have I just passed over that phrase.  Just skipping on by totally forgetting how precious the blood of Christ really is. The blood of Christ saved me. . . is saving me . . . from having to try and earn my way to God.  Once I realize its true value, I want to guard it. . . but once I realize its true essence, I begin to understand that it is guarding me.  The rest of the world looks at His blood as a strange thing, to be discarded.  We however, understand that the rest of the world pales in comparison to the amazing love, and unmerited grace that His blood represents.  Yes, the gift of God is salvation, and it is free. . . and at the same time, it costs us so dearly.  How can something that is free, cost so much? Because when you accept that gift, it changes everything about you. Who you are, where you're heading, and what you're living for.  

I wonder if we, as the church, have it backwards? We tell ourselves that salvation is God's free gift - emphasis on free. We leave out the part where the Bible talks about counting the cost (Luke 14).  We so often forget that there is a price to be paid. Just like the old hymn says, "Jesus paid it all, all to Him I owe." In the end, it is the blood of Christ that is of sole importance. . . something so precious and worth so much.  Let us never forget the value and the price. . .