The first communion I partook in after Imanuel was born, our close friend, Sikhu, sang for special music.  The song she chose to sing was the famous hymn, “There is a Fountain”.  I had heard this song many times, but for the first time this song came alive to me.  She sang these powerful lyrics:

There is a fountain filled with blood drawn from Emmanuel’s veins;
And sinners plunged beneath that flood lose all their guilty stains.

The first time I ever saw my child’s blood was soon after I gave birth to Imanuel.  It was from the infamous heel poke that they do to draw blood for newborn tests.  I will never forget that experience.  The initial poke made him cry a little, but it was when the nurse(s) would squeeeeze his tiny foot to collect the full vial of blood that just made him scream.  I remember just staring at one nurse in disbelief because it seemed like she was totally oblivious to our child’s pain.  Initially we were in shock because she even had the nerve to get frustrated with him because he kept squirming around.  By the end, our feelings evolved into anger.  But Israel and I held our peace and as soon as the nurse put the band aid on, we grabbed Imanuel to hold and comfort him. 

As Sikhu sang this first verse, an overwhelming image flooded my mind.  Contrary to the few droplets of blood from a heel poke, I saw a literal fountain flowing with blood, but I saw that it was pouring from Imanuel’s, my son’s, veins.  It made my heart break, and as much as I wanted to erase that image, I knew that this was a reality for One infinitely greater and purer and holier.  His Father held His peace, and had the strength to even turn His back on His dying Son.  Not only was this done because His love for our fallen world is so amazing.  He also did this because His love for His Son was so great that He knew this was what Jesus ultimately wanted – to commune once again with His beloved creation.  It was then I understood, that while the Father chose to hide His face from His dying Son, His heart was breaking too.  Here at the cross, we see two different, but powerfully equal demonstrations of God’s great love for us and for Each Other. 

As we begin this new year, I am reminded of our desperate need to love God and each other more.  What a great sacrifice that was given so freely from God!  What incomprehensible love towards no good sinners like me!   Who wouldn’t want to serve Him? 

Lose all their guilty stains,
Lose all their guilty stains,
And sinners plunged beneath that flood lose all their guilty stains!