Exodus 12:13: 13 The blood shall be a sign for you on the houses where you live: when I see the blood, I will pass over you, and no plague shall destroy you when I strike the land of Egypt.
Prayer Focus: How exactly does this sign of blood work? The lamb’s blood itself isn’t magical. It doesn’t possess any properties that automatically guarantee protection for those who paint it on their doorposts. And do we really think that God needs a sign of blood in order to recognize the Israelites from the Egyptians? No, God can’t possibly need the sign of blood in order to save the Israelites. Rather, it is the Israelites who need the sign. The sign of blood publicly and concretely marks the Israelites as God’s people. It makes God’s grace, protection, and love visible to the naked human eye.
It isn’t at all unlike our understanding of the sacrament of the Lord’s Supper. Like the blood of the lamb, the elements of bread and wine do not possess special, magical properties. Rather, they are sacred because they become for us visible signs of Christ’s grace. It is we, like the Israelites, who need those signs to help us see and experience God’s love for ourselves. Today, let us give thanks and praise to God who chooses to give us signs that allow us to know God’s love and grace. There is truly no greater gift than this.