Jesus Paid It All

Reading through Leviticus is just top on everyone’s favorite list, right? I think probably not. It’s a hard book to read and comprehend ALL the rules and the laws and the sacrifices.

“Lay your hand on the animal’s head, and the Lord will accept its death in your place to purify you, making you right with him. Then slaughter the young bull in the Lord’s presence, and Aaron’s sons, the priests, will present the animal’s blood by splattering it against all sides of the altar that stands at the entrance to the Tabernacle. Then skin the animal and cut it into pieces. The sons of Aaron the priest will build a wood fire on the altar. They will arrange the pieces of the offering, including the head and fat, on the wood burning on the altar. But the internal organs and the legs must first be washed with water. Then the priest will burn the entire sacrifice on the altar as a burnt offering. It is a special gift, a pleasing aroma to the Lord.”‭‭Leviticus‬ ‭1:4-9‬ ‭NLT‬‬

The sacrifices...oh my! A bull for a sin offering. A lamb for a peace offering. A goat for a sin offering. Wait. I thought it was a bull for a sin offering? Or was that a goat for a purification offering? Or was that a burnt offering?

Keeping it all straight was bad enough.  Then can you just imagine the messiness of it? Their were animals everywhere.  Are you smelling a barn yard about now?  If that doesn't curdle your stomach, then there was the blood...blood that was poured out and splattered as an offering. These sacrifices and offerings were made to renew right standing with the Lord.

It was just so much. So messy. I began to think just how thankful I was that I didn’t have to go through all of those sacrifices. Then it hit me like a ton of bricks.

Exactly what did I think Jesus did for me? Wasn’t His death messy and bloody? Oh my. It was far more than messy. I shudder when I think of His personal sacrifice..for me. And for You.

“With his own blood—not the blood of goats and calves—he entered the Most Holy Place once for all time and secured our redemption forever. Under the old system, the blood of goats and bulls and the ashes of a heifer could cleanse people’s bodies from ceremonial impurity. Just think how much more the blood of Christ will purify our consciences from sinful deeds so that we can worship the living God. For by the power of the eternal Spirit, Christ offered himself to God as a perfect sacrifice for our sins.”
‭‭Hebrews‬ ‭9:12-14‬ ‭NLT‬‬

May I never take His death on the cross for me lightly. Jesus paid it all...all to Him I owe.

The art behind the story:

This page was very simple artistically to create, but very difficult as I pondered the sacrifice of my Lord.

The background consists of oxide ink applied with a sponge and then spritzed with water.  The words are from the Sweet 'n Sassy Stamps collection entitled Timeless Hymns.  The blood spatters are from Grunge Elements 2.  

Looking forward to seeing what you all create next.  Have a wonderful Easter!!

Hugs,

Gayle (Patio Ponderings)