Georgia state Senator Bruce Thompson almost died from the coronavirus in mid-March.  Medical professionals at Northside Cherokee Hospital in Canton, Georgia told him at one point that they were not sure he was going to survive.  “I was in tough shape,” Thompson recalls, also stating that he did not want to leave his wife of 20 years and their two children.

But, thankfully, he did survive.  Now, a month later, he is able to run a mile a day as he was doing before he contracted the virus.  He also wants to help others who are currently battling the virus.   He is providing some help by donating his plasma.

“Life is the most precious gift,” he said, “and to be able to save someone's life... I can't think of a better way than donating plasma... I'm told that potentially my plasma could save four lives.”

“I got a second chance at life and I want to do whatever I can to provide other people with a second chance as well,” Thompson told Fox News. *

In the midst of some Old Covenant teaching about animal sacrifices in the book of Leviticus, we find this reference: “the life of every creature is its blood” (Leviticus 17:11, 14).

According to www.oneblood.org, “Blood is essential to life.  Blood circulates through our bodies and delivers essential substances like oxygen and nutrients to the body’s cells.  It also transports metabolic waste products away from those same cells.  There is no substitute for blood.  It cannot be made or manufactured.  Generous blood donors are the only source of blood for patients in need of a blood transfusion.”

Blood is essential to life.  As we see in the case of Thompson’s donation of blood plasma, it is also essential for others to have a second chance at life.

As essential as blood is to our physical lives, the blood of Jesus is the key to eternal life.

Sin, the common malady of us all – “for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23) – carries a death sentence.  “For the wages of sin is death” (Romans 6:23).

But God loves us so much that He gave His Son to die on the cross for our sins (John 3:16).  Jesus shed His blood in His death to pay the price for our redemption from sin.  Only the sinless Son of God could die in our place; He was the perfect sacrifice (Hebrews 10:12-14).  “In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace” (Ephesians 1:7).  When the blood of Jesus is applied to our lives, it washes away our sins (Revelation 1:5) and gives us eternal life (Romans 6:23).

The blood of Jesus washes away the sin of those who place their faith and trust in Jesus (Acts 16:30-31), turn from their sins in repentance (Acts 17:30-31), confess Jesus before men (Romans 10:9-10), and are baptized (immersed) into Christ for the forgiveness of sins (Acts 2:38).  Then, as one continues to walk in the light of His Word, the blood of Jesus continues to cleanse the Christian from all sin (1 John 1:7-9).

Blood is essential to life.  The blood of Jesus is essential to eternal life.

Won’t YOU be “washed in the blood” through your trusting obedience?

-- David A. Sargent

* Information gleaned from “Georgia state senator's 'second chance at life' after surviving coronavirus, giving plasma” by Caleb Parke, www.foxnews.com and www.oneblood.org.

David A. Sargent, Minister

Church of Christ at Creekwood 
1901 Schillinger Rd. S.
Mobile, Alabama  36695

Archived issues of Living Water can be viewed and accessed from our website at: www.creekwoodcc.org