PLEASE READ THIS FIRST: Psalm 79
What do you sense the Lord saying to you in this passage?
“They have poured out blood like water all around Jerusalem.” (Psalm 79:3)
Blood represents the preciousness of life – all over the ground.
Every murder is an echo of Abel’s blood, crying out for justice (Genesis 4:10).
This Psalm was written by a Jew, but it also applies to all people.
Our world is filled with blood – like water – precious life wasted!
Is it because of God’s anger (v.5), or is it what leads to God’s anger?
God’s response is to step into the bloodshed and overcome it with love.
The blood of Jesus mingles with our blood in Jerusalem (John 19:34).
His blood cries a better word than Abel’s – justice and mercy (Hebrews 12:24)!
We’ve become desensitized to blood – in the news, in computer games.
We ignore appeals for blood donations — too busy shopping or watching TV.
We fight over communion juice, but say little about violence and death.
As Jesus followers, we should feel the preciousness of every life.
Jesus mingled his blood with the billions of victims through history.
He’s asking us to join our blood with his in crying out for justice and mercy!
PRAYER
Lord, forgive us for drinking your blood in communion for ourselves, but ignoring your blood in the millions who suffer and die every day.
Do we really need to experience what would happen to us if God left us? Israel did leave God and so God left them to be prey to their enemies. I notice on myself and others how we drive more cautiously after coming across a horrific accident. The nations saw what happened to Israel and asked a natural question to them, what happened to their God – their God who established them and raised them up out of Egypt! Help me to remember what I would be like without you Lord Jesus! I look to the cross on which you died and I reflect on what it took for you – blood draining from your head and from the wounds and scourging. Awful – I know sin is awful! Help me to keep from sin, I pray – I am reminded!
The people call upon the Lord in their time of distress. His people, His sheep had gone astray and now plead that God would return and be their God and show others His majesty and power. I need to be thankful that He no longer remembers my sin because of His blood. Once again and always I need to be thankful for life to live in His presence and tell others of the mercies of the Lord.
I will sing of the mercies of the Lord forever,
I will sing, I will sing,
I will sing of the mercies of the Lord forever,
I will sing of the mercies of the Lord.
With my mouth will I make known
Thy faithfulness, Thy faithfulness,
With my mouth will I make known
Thy faithfulness to all generations,
I will sing of the mercies of the Lord forever,
I will sing of the mercies of the Lord.