Similar to everyone else, I like to save money where I can. I suppose one of the ways I "save" money is buying the cheap brands for products when possible. In other words, why should I pay four or five dollars for a brand-name item when the cheap dollar-store variety works just as well? I suppose it depends on the product, obviously. Sometimes this strategy works great and saves you money to begin with. Other times it may end up costing you money in the long run. Case in point. A clogged up sink. I proposed saving money by buying the "cheap" generic versions of the drain cleaner. I insisted on buying the "generic" drain cleaners because I could not fathom paying six or seven dollars for a brand-name when I could just spend a buck-fifty and be done with it. The problem is that the generic version for a "buck-fifty" didn't work so well and I had to repeat the process another two times, still with no success and then ultimately ended up spending the six dollars for the "heavy-duty," "brand-name" drain cleaner and, voila!, drain is cleaned in a snap! Just like that! My efforts, though, at the beginning were in vain especially considering I spent money on products that really did not work to begin with, not to mention multiple trips to the store. Now, my purpose in writing this is not to get people to only buy name-brand products as opposed to cheaper, less-known products. No, I am just using this as an example of times where we have tried and tried and tried, without success, and then, boom!, we finally succeed with amazing results. I just used the drain-cleaning example because it came to mind but I know each one of us can come up with our own example of doing something repeatedly without much success and then we end up with amazing results!
In the Ninth Chapter of the Letter to the Hebrews, we are reminded of the sacrifice of bulls and goats made by the high priest in the Temple. "For if the blood of bulls and of goats, and the ashes of an heifer sprinkling the unclean, sanctifieth to the purifying of the flesh; how much more shall the blood of Christ, who, through the eternal Spirit, offered himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God? " (Hebrews 9:13-14) We are reminded in this chapter that if the blood of goats, and bulls and heifers helps to sanctify the "unclean," "how much more shall the blood of Christ" (v. 14) sanctify the unclean? You see, for countless generations, the high priests would make sacrifices behind the second veil, as we are reminded in this chapter, to atone for the sins of God's people. As we are reminded, the high priest went in alone to offer up sins for God's people once a year. But it is the Blood of Christ which turned out to be the ultimate sacrifice. We can try and try and try to fix things ourselves, but it is only Our Blessed Saviour Who can save us from our sins. Perhaps you have had the experience of being in a jam and you tried and tried and tried to get things right and it just seemed to get worse and worse and worse. And then you placed the situation in God's hands and within a short time, you noticed everything got better. If our efforts are good . . . . Christ's are better. If the blood of sacrificed goats and bulls is good . . . Christ's Blood is better. Never fail to put your life in God's hands. Do your part, yes, but always look to Christ for inspiration. Always look to God for how to live your life better. Always look towards the Holy Ghost for inspiration. Give your life to God and live your life as His servant. Living life our way may be good but living life God's way is better.
"“In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace” (Ephesians 1:7)
"Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from wrath through Him. “ (Romans 5:9)
Prayer in Honor of The Most Precious Blood of Jesus
"O precious Blood of Jesus, infinite price paid for the redemption of sinful mankind. O Divine Blood, drink and laver of our souls, standing between us and the Father pleading mercy.
With all my heart I adore You, sweet Lord, and offer reparation for the insults, outrages and ingratitude, which You continuously receive from human beings, especially those who dare blaspheme the Divine Blood You shed for us.
Bless this Blood of Infinite value. Bless the fire of Jesus’ Love who shed it to the last drop for us. Where would I be if not for this Divine Blood that redeemed me? Indeed, Lord, I have drawn if from You to the last drop. What love! Thank You for this saving balm!
May every heart, every tongue, now and forever, praise and thank this priceless balm, this saving Blood, this fountain of crimson Mercy welling up from the fountain of infinite Love. Amen."
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