As I sat preparing my heart for Communion at church this morning, an image flashed into my mind for a moment: I was kneeling at the foot of the cross. My face was in the dirt because I felt so unworthy to be there. I am unworthy to be there because Jesus is hanging on the cross due to my sins. The only perfect person who ever lived, the only person who never committed even the tiniest sin, is taking my punishment for me.

Well, I have to tell you, that was a very uncomfortable moment. I mean, what if someone at church realized I was the reason Jesus was being tortured to death?

But then a drop of blood landed in the dirt next to my head. And then another landed on me. And then some more.

Normally, that would not be a pleasant experience, to have someone’s blood dripping all over me.

But in this case, it was. I was cleansed, made cleaner than any shower could ever make me. I felt God’s presence. I felt Him assuring me that this was the plan all along–that He desperately wanted me to be part of His family and a personal friend of His, and He knew that I wouldn’t be able to make myself worthy on my own, no matter how hard I tried. He knew that I’d screw up. Again and again. So He devised this plan to make me worthy.

In the strangest of ironies, His blood would clean me and make me whiter than snow. His blood, when I rub it all over me, would make me impervious to the attacks of the evil one and would help me to ignore the thousand good reasons he gives me every day to step out of the Light and into darkness.

I knelt at the foot of the cross unworthy to enter into God’s presence, and yet He made me worthy by spilling His blood all over me. What a strange but thrilling story!

And here’s a really spectacular thing for you, too: He did the same thing for you, even if you don’t yet know you are unworthy, yet made worthy!

Thanks be to God!