Where Your Treasure Is, There Your Heart Will Be Also
Before the trials and the beatings began early Friday morning, Jesus had already lost blood. “Precious blood” was the ransom price for a rebellious and rogue people; but Jesus treasured them. Nevertheless, even considering the cost… it took its toll in His blood.
“During His anxious prayer about the events to come, Jesus sweats drops of blood. There is a rare medical condition called hemohedrosis, during which the capillary blood vessels that feed the sweat glands break down. Blood released from the vessels mixes with the sweat; therefore, the body sweats drops of blood.” Cahleen Shrier, professor of biology and chemistry at Azusa University has made a practice of describing the physiology of Crucifixion to many of her classes. Her description above begins with Jesus’ passionate prayer in the garden.
We recall that Jesus wept at the grave of His soon-to-be-resurrected friend Lazarus. Death still brings grief, even for the Lord of life. Death is the enemy, and on Good Friday death came to assault the Great “I AM.” When Jesus gave John His apocalyptic vision, He also revealed that the crucifixion was as good as accomplished before the foundation of the world. (Rev. 13:8). God’s Word cannot be broken. His heart had been resolved from eternity. He would create a material universe, and imbue one select creature with His Spirit. And then God Who is Spirit would become a man to redeem (“buy back”) not only man but also all of creation. That is valuable blood, worthy of such a ransom!
Dr. Schrier describes capillaries bursting. Capillaries are where the great exchange takes place in our bodies. They are the smallest of blood vessels. In some cases, red blood cells have to actually fold to get through the vessels. It is where life-giving oxygen is given up by the red blood cell, and it takes in carbon dioxide, a gas associated with decay. On the cross, Jesus is taking in the toxin of sin for each person who has ever lived. I think about each of those red blood cells carrying sin and exchanging life. When Jesus was shedding His precious blood, He had between 20 and 30 trillion red blood cells in His body. If we consider each one of those blood cells as representative of each human to ever live, or whoever will live, I think He has it covered. Jesus gave His life in exchange for receiving our death.
This is so radically different from anything else called “religion.” It is mythic, and J.R.R. Tolkien got it correct when he called it “the true myth.” The pearl of great price was God’s crown of creation, you and me. He gave all that He had to buy the field (creation), and obtain the pearl with it. Such a treasure hunter!
Prayer: Lord Jesus Christ, Your heart was on the cross on Good Friday, so much do you treasure each of us. You called Yourself “The Son Of Man.” You became one of us so that we might have life and have it abundantly. You are “the good man who out of the good treasure in Your heart brings forth what is good.” We call this Friday “Good” because of the high value placed upon us. We bring You profound and humble praise for Your love. Confidently redeemed, we pray. Amen.
