Not with the blood of goats and calves, but with His own blood He entered the Most Holy Place once for all, having obtained eternal redemption.

Hebrews 9:12

This winter, it snowed for ten consecutive days. We woke to freshly fallen snow every morning, and it seemed as if the night hours birthed the world new again. The grime and gray slush that accumulated throughout the day lay beneath a covering of pure white by sunrise. I anticipated this blanket of beauty each morning, and its renewing effect on a world streaked with grease and muck. But, I also knew this cleansing wouldn’t last as we went about our business and left our mark on the land.

We sing a hymn about the blood of Jesus in church. We say it washes us “white as snow,” and each time I hear this line, I think of the purity of a new snowfall. I think, too, of the sludgy mess that accompanies it, how we leave footprints and tire treads and corrosive salt in our wake. Our activity makes a wreck of its beauty, staining the snow until we wish for a fresh white coating to hide our tracks.

Today’s scripture reminds us that we don’t need to wait expectantly each morning for a fresh covering of the blood of Jesus. It is given but once, for the benefit of all. It covers all of us who believe, all of the sin and grime we accumulate, for all of eternity. The blood is a constant,  ever-present flow, and it leaves no trace of the mess we create as we walk through life with our imperfect and fallen feet. Jesus’ blood leaves behind a trail of grace, a covering so thick, God sees nothing else but the Son and His sacrifice. As we take part in this season of Lent, let us remember that our acts of sacrifice are a symbol, not a substitution for Christ’s, and let us celebrate the cleansing power of his blood.

QUESTIONS FOR REFLECTION: Do you try to earn your way to Heaven by attempting to add to Christ’s work on the cross? How do you view yourself and your sin under the new covenant Christ established? How do you respond to his gift of grace?

PRAYER: Dear Lord, help me remember what the blood of your Son accomplished on the cross. Forgive me for trying to add to the finished work of Christ by thinking I can earn my way into relationship with you. I thank you that Jesus came once for all, and I accept his blood as the final sacrifice. Help me to remember its purity and cleansing power. Thank you for this good and perfect gift, and help me receive as freely as you give. Amen.