The Promise

When I was a kid I had a 'blood sister'. Not the one I lived with, but one who became my 'sister' after a special ceremony. You know the drill: You get a needle from your mom's sewing kit, prick each other's fingers, press them together, and promise to be BFFs (Best Friends Forever). Forever.

That promise has remained unbroken to this day. She is still my best friend--when we pick up the phone to chat, we don't have to start over. We just start wherever we left off two days ago or two months ago. She knows all the 'dirt', good and bad. And she still loves me. Imagine that. But it makes sense--she's family. She has my blood running through her veins.

There are many promises that we make that don't last that long. Even as the words are tumbling out of our mouths, we have no intention of keeping them... "This won't hurt."-- "I'll be right back."-- "I'll do it later.", or my favorite: "We promise to feed the new puppy, walk him, clean up after him..." (haha, they got me with that one).

But blood promises? When I first began my faithwalk with God, the blood thing really baffled me. The Israelites were instructed by God to offer animal sacrifices in the wilderness. The wine at the Last Supper, according to Jesus, represented His blood that was shed on the cross, a human/divine sacrifice.

From a human perspective, losing blood means losing life. But with God, paradoxes are the norm. Surrender means freedom. The last become first. The meek shall inherit. And sacrificing blood means gaining life.

When we allow God to 'prick our finger' and mingle His blood with ours, we become family. His blood runs through our veins and gives us new life. He becomes our BFF-- "a friend who sticks closer than a brother" (Proverbs 18:24). Or sister, I would add. He knows all the 'dirt' and loves me anyway. Just imagine.

Even years down the road, there is still so much I don't understand about God, but this much I do know: When God makes a promise, He seals it with His blood and keeps it forever.

"Do not be afraid or terrified . . . for the LORD your God goes with you; He will never leave you nor forsake you.” Deuteronomy 31:6

And that's a promise I'm going to claim as my own.