“There is power, power wonder working power. In the blood……” from Duke

If you were to walk around this base you would very quickly notice that there is almost an obsession with one’s blood type. Some soldiers have it embroidered on their helmets. It is written on some other’s name tags. It may be on their uniform and their body armor. It is also found on everyone’s dog tags that we all wear faithfully around our necks and some even place an extra one in a boot just in case. Most of what you see are A+ or O+ the two most common blood types. Every once in a while you will see the precious O-. They are called the universal donors. This blood is coveted for its ability to be given to anyone. It is essential in traumas to keep people alive while the lab is still verifying their blood type and to make sure the blood that they are getting even if it is the same type, as theirs, will be compatible. The other envied type is AB+. These people are called the universal recipients. It is very clear that the soldiers walking around this base and elsewhere in harms way want there to be no delay if they ever need blood. They know that there is life in the blood and if they lose too much of this precious fluid their physical body will not survive.

The dog tags are another interesting fact of war. Putting on dog tags to come over to Iraq, has a sobering effect. (Military members typically wear them only when they are deployed) Wearing them admits: I may be in such a condition that I need this tag to speak for me. It has my name, rank, religious preference, social security number and blood type stamped on it. I saw a case that the tag needed to speak for such a man. He had been injured by an improvised explosive device, IED. There were hundreds of small injuries on his face. When the bomb exploded it sent melting pieces of metal everywhere and many had been stopped by his skin, muscle and bone. The injury had caused his whole face to swell. His eyes were closed shut. His lips were three to four times larger than usual. He looked as if someone had beaten his face with a meat tenderizing mallet; the type with the pointed ends. He would not have been recognizable even to his mother. Seeing him reminded me of the verse that foretold what Christ would look like after he had been tortured. “Just as there were many who were appalled at Him- His appearance was so disfigured beyond that of any man and His form marred beyond any human likeness.” Isaiah 52:4. “But He was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities.” Isaiah 53:5. It hurt me to look at this man. Seeing him in this injured state reminded me of Christ. It reminded me of what Christ went through for my sins.

So how do the blood types and dog tags come together in my thoughts. It is the issue of the blood and needing something to speak for us. It is Christ whose blood can heal us, “In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s grace that He lavished on us with all wisdom and understanding.” Ephesians 1:7 and it is He who speaks or intercedes in our defense to God the Father in Heaven. “Therefore He [Jesus] is able to save completely those who come to God through Him, because He lives to intercede for them.” Hebrews 7:25When my dog tag was made, I would have preferred for it to say next to blood type: Christ’s Blood. Since that is the only blood that can truly save me.

Soli Deo Gloria
More thoughts to come