The World Health Organization reports that Ebola virus disease (EVD) is a severe, often fatal illness in humans. The WHO states that the virus is transmitted to people from wild animals and spreads in the human population through human-to-human transmission. Although great precautionary measures are used, we’ve witnessed recently how some doctors and caregivers working in West Africa have contracted the virus. The most recent case of an American aid worker catching the virus is Dr. Rick Sacra.
Sacra, 51, has been treating patients on and off in Liberia for 15 years. In August, he went back to Monrovia, the national capital of Liberia, to help deliver babies. While there, somehow he contracted the Ebola virus.
On Friday, September 5, Sacra was flown to Omaha, Nebraska in a special medevac plane. He has been given two experimental treatments, one of which consisted of blood plasma from another American aid worker, Dr. Kent Brantly, who caught Ebola in Liberia but has recently recovered.
Michaeleen Doucleff reports, “Brantly was treated for Ebola at a hospital in Atlanta back in August. Doctors gave him and his coworker, Nancy Writebol, the experimental drug ZMapp. Both of them recovered from Ebola. But it still isn’t known [for certain] whether ZMapp helped them… The idea is that Brantly’s blood contains Ebola antibodies, which could help Sacra’s immune system fight off the virus.” Isn’t it wonderful? A physician gave some of his blood to help save the life of another physician.
Now consider that sin is deadly (Romans 6:23), and we “all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23). Unless a remedy is supplied, it will lead to eternal destruction (Matthew 7:13-14). A Remedy has been offered and is available to all who will accept it. There is another physician – the Great Physician, Jesus – who gave His life and His blood to save us from sin. “In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace” (Ephesians 1:7).
The blood of Jesus will cleanse and give eternal life to those who place their faith and trust in Jesus (Acts 16:30-31), turn from sin in repentance (Acts 17:30-31), confess Him before men (Romans 10:9-10) and are baptized (immersed) into Christ (Acts 2:38; Colossians 2:12). The blood of Jesus will continue to cleanse those who continue to walk in the light of His Word (1 John 1:7).
The Great Physician gave up His life-giving blood to save us from the fatal “disease” of sin. Through His blood, we are cleansed. Through His blood, we have eternal life. Won’t you be washed in the cleansing blood of Jesus by trusting and obeying Him?
