😎🐫🎤 Christ’s peace be with you. Reading through Genesis 9 I was given a slightly different perspective of the term “lifeblood”. At this point the ark had come to a resting place, Noah and his family were exiting the ark, and God was offering Noah a covenant with Him. Which brings us to verses 3-6: “Everything that lives and moves will be food for you. Just as I gave you the green plants, I now give you everything. But you must not eat meat that has its lifeblood still in it. And for your lifeblood I will surely demand an accounting. I will demand an accounting for every animal. And for each man, too, I will demand an accounting for the life of his fellow man. Whoever sheds the blood of man, by man shall his blood be shed; for in the image of God has God made man.”
The first thing that caught my attention was that God was just now giving us permission to eat anything that lives and moves. Originally, we were all vegetarians. Hmmm, maybe that’s why they lived so long. God goes on to say that He will demand an account of our lifeblood and the lifeblood of those around us. I don’t think He’s talking just actual blood here. There is more than one way to kill someone without puncturing the skin or leaving a physical mark. Harsh words verbally attacking someone; giving someone the stink eye; ignoring or abandoning them; these are all ways in which we can kill someone’s spirit and drain their lifeblood out of them, to the point that only a shell of a person remains. And God will demand an accounting. I know this is something we don’t want to reflect on in our own lives, but we need to. Yesterday, how many times did you act without thinking and fall into this type of sin? How many times last week? Last month? It starts to add up quickly. We need to be conscience of our thoughts to prevent them from becoming life taking words and actions and turn them into life giving embraces. Bless others and be blessed.
#TobyMac – Speak Life
Third Day Devotions 