THE PHONE rang late one evening at the home of Mrs. Hazel Otto, Alhambra, California.
“Mrs. Otto,” a voice asked, “did you give a pint of blood to the Red Cross last December 14.”
Mrs. Otto hesitated, as she thought back a while, and then replied, “Yes, as a matter of fact I did. Who is this?”
“This is Capt. Richard Hamilton at the Birmingham Hospital in Van Nuys, California. A patient has just arrived here who wants to meet you.
“That pint of blood you gave was flown to the Philippines. A young sergeant was wounded there and lost his leg, but your pint of blood saved his life. He wants to thank you.”
Mrs. Otto was stunned. “Why that’s wonderful!” she cried over and over. “Of course I want to see him.”
An hour later two Americans wept unashamedly. The tears were those of sincere appreciation. Mrs. Otto and Sgt. George Bruce, just 19, of Eastgulf, West Virginia, embraced each other and cried.
“I am so grateful,” Mrs. Otto said. Sgt. Bruce could say nothing.
It is a rare occurrence when a soldier meets the one whose blood saved his life on the battlefield. But just before the bottle containing Mrs. Otto’s blood reached the Philippines, George and his buddies had been caught in an ambush. Badly wounded, George was carried to a field hospital, where his leg was amputated. When he rained consciousness, the doctor handed him the tag from the blood container. “It was this woman’s blood that saved your life,” he said. Clutching the tag, George muttered, “I’m going to keep this; maybe some day I can thank her for saving my life.”
This touching incident made us think of that coming glorious time when each soldier of Jesus Christ, saved by grace, will see heaven and earth’s greatest Donor face to face, and will thank Him personally for shedding His precious blood which was the means of his salvation.
But the place will not be a hospital; it will be the Father’s house in which are the “many mansions” the Lord Jesus spoke of in John 14. No one will be speechless there, for all infirmities, afflictions, imperfections of the flesh and sinful natures shall be past history.
All believers shall be “with” and “like” their beloved Lord in that scene of “Fullness of joy” and of “pleasures for evermore.”
With all life’s battles fought and won — for “we are more than conquerors through Him that loved us” — and with complete deliverance from the world, the flesh and the devil, it will be pure delight to heartily thank the glorified and exalted Saviour for giving His precious blood at Calvary, for the remission of our sins.
Nor need we wait until that day to thank Him, but we should thank Him now for such love and so great salvation. But, what will it be in His own blessed presence to sing: “Unto Him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in His own blood, and hath made us kings and priests unto God and His Father: to Him be glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen!” Rev. 1:5,6.
Memory Verse: “Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.” Romans 5:1
ML-04/11/1976