Bhaskar was a very devout man but had a question, will he reach God directly bypassing all reincarnations. One Saturday he applied droplets of blood as marks of worship – tikka- on the foreheads of all the gods whose pictures hung on the wall. His expectation was not met.
On Sunday evening he took a train to Beach station from his college hostel. There he met a stranger who gave him a flyer titled: ‘Blood is needed.’ Bhaskar thought of donating his blood, and followed the stranger. They stepped inside a church. The summary of the message was: “Believe in Lord Jesus Christ and you will have eternal life.” The word ‘Will’ captured his attention. It was not ‘might’ or ‘perhaps’ or ‘maybe’ or ‘possibly’ or ‘hopefully’. After the meeting he was helped to understand John 3:16. “For God so loved Bhaskar, that he gave his only Son for Bhaskar, that if Bhaskar believes in Him, Bhaskar shall not perish but Bhaskar will have eternal life.” That had an electrifying effect. Not by my devotion, my religion, my endeavours, my observance, my labour, my chanting, my karma, my pilgrimage or my fasting…Someone else was in the driving seat. It was a gloriously liberating truth of the gospel.
He joined a few students in a camp. On the last day, all were sharing their experiences. Bhaskar heard a voice asking him to do like others. He ran inside a toilet afraid. He writes: “Peering upwards, I saw a wooden beam in a cross-like structure. From it I saw drops of blood pouring into the flow in which I was immersed. I was terrified and needed an explanation.” In a few moments: “The voice said to me, ‘you need My blood; I don’t need yours. It is My blood that will make you like the people out there who are testifying.” Bhaskar said: “Lord, I accept.” (From the book Brahmin Reborn, by Bhaskar Sreerangam)
“The blood of Jesus cleanses us from all sin.” (I John 1:9)
Are you cleansed by His blood?