In my youth, I hunted deer. I must emphasize the word “hunted.” I was a poor shot and spent more time looking at the ground for snakes, sharp rocks, and cactus, instead of searching the horizon for my prey.

When a member of the hunting party declared success, he did so by looking down at a pool of blood draining from a majestic creature of the woods.  Rather quickly, I became a “John Boy Walton” and decided I wanted nothing to do with spilt blood—besides I had better success fishing and my catch did not bleed pools of thick red fluid.

There is no doubt regarding the importance of blood to the sustenance of life. Both the scientist in the sterile laboratory and the Indian in the hidden jungle recognize that without blood the body is dead.

For the past several days, I have reflected on the significance of events on a hill and in an empty garden tomb. I see events in the life of the historic Jesus as the pivotal events in history setting in motion the final restoration of God’s perfect garden.

What a place it must have been with peace reigning supreme and God and man in perfect communion, until Satan made his mess. I look forward to a time when the mess of Satan is fixed, and I will be perfect and live in the presence of God.

But, what about now?

How can I reconcile the fact I cannot reach the perfection of Jesus while I live on this earth? What was it that happened on a hill in Galilee that allows God to look at imperfect me and see a perfect sinless life?

It was the spilt blood of Jesus. The light comes on. It is almost too good to believe. However, nevertheless it is true. The key to being view by God as if I had no sin is available through Jesus’ blood. This spiritual fluid allows me to live in God’s presence with complete confidence.

Here again I receive an insight from the Apostle John. The aged Apostle remembered his youthful walked with Jesus on earth. He reflected upon his ninety years of witnessing the results of Jesus becoming man. His own life was about to end and he too was still awaiting the complete restoration of the garden.

The Apostle John was still a man as Jesus continued to perfect the disciple whom he loved—even at the age of ninety.  In his humanity, John was confident of his final destiny of eternity in God’s presence with the Son. He lived faultless before God because of the life he received through Jesus’ blood.

He writes to me the same message he gave to men and women awaiting the return of Jesus:

God is light; in him, there is no darkness at all. If we claim to have fellowship with him and yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not live out the truth.However, if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin.If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us.If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.

That’s it. By giving my life to Jesus and living his values, I find myself in a state of light. With my vision pointed toward Jesus, God no longer sees my imperfections. He now sees me as a son, a brother of Jesus, and living in a state of perfection as I stand in the shadow of Jesus’ blood—the fluid of eternal life.

What are your reflections? Stay tuned.