Love Ran Red

There's a place where mercy reigns and never dies,

There's a place where streams of grace flow deep and wide.
Where all the love I've ever found,
Comes like a flood, Comes flowing down.

[Chorus:]

At the cross At the cross I surrender my life.
I'm in awe of You, I'm in awe of You
Where Your love ran red and my sin washed white.
I owe all to You, I owe all to You Jesus.

 

So begins the words of the contemporary song by Chris Tomlin.  It's one of my favorites in the songs we sing at church.  I'm now thinking the line which makes my "favorite list" is the one which says, "Where Your love ran red and my sin washed white."   That line in the song is so descriptive of the way God uses the cross of his Son to redeem mankind.

While part of the world thinks of spilled blood in terms of horror or fright, the Christian thinks in terms of redemption and victory.  For years we have come to appreciate those song writers which, through their verses, include a vision of victory because of Jesus' shed blood.

"What can wash away my sin?  Nothing but the blood of Jesus!"

"Are you washed in the blood of Jesus?"

"My hope is built on nothing less than Jesus' blood and righteousness."

It is Jesus' blood and His righteousness that brings our cleansing.  What seemed like a victory for Satan and evil when Jesus died on the cross, God turned into the greatest blessing through the resurrection.  That blood which was spilled when Jesus died became the cleansing agent by which we have the assurance our sins have been washed white. I will forever remember our church family singing often:

Would you be free from the burden of sin?
There’s power in the blood, power in the blood;
Would you o’er evil a victory win?
There’s wonderful power in the blood.

[Refrain]

There is power, power, wonder working power
In the blood of the Lamb;
There is power, power, wonder working power
In the precious blood of the Lamb.

Would you be whiter, much whiter than snow?
There’s power in the blood, power in the blood;
Sin stains are lost in its life giving flow.
There’s wonderful power in the blood.

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