Bone Marrow

I've come to the point in the O.T. where I'm reading about how to build the tabernacle. I will admit that I've glossed over it as I always do. One thing I'm always amazed at is how detailed everything had to be. Down to the exact measurement.

Last night in my VT reading I came across the word "marrow". Bone marrow "is the soft tissue found in the hollow interior of bones. In adults, marrow in large bones produced new blood cells." There are two types of bone marrow: Red and yellow. You can find red blood cells, platelets and most blood cells in red marrow. What's interesting is that the bone marrow has a barrier. The blood vessels have a barrier inhibiting immature blood cells from leaving the bone marrow. It only allows mature blood cells that contain the required membrane proteins to pass the blood vessel endothelium (Cells that reduce friction of the flow of blood allowing the fluid to be pumped further.). Stem cells are also found within the bone marrow. You can treat diseases with bone marrow transplants from your own harvested bone marrow or from a donor. I'm very familiar with bone marrow. One
of the lovely tests I had to endure was a bone marrow biopsy (BMB). It was painful and left me with lower back pain for about a month. A thin tube like needle is inserted into both hips to extract the marrow from your bones to see if any cancerous cells are present.

The Bible uses it figuratively as richness (fatness) and good things. Psalm 63:5 says, "My soul is satisfied as with marrow and fatness, And my mouth offers praises with joyful lips." Apparently, bone marrow has been used as a source of food because it's high protein and monounsaturated fats which reduces the risk of cardiovascular disease. The point is, marrow is important as it seems to be the heart of the bone.

I see the Lord as being the heart of our souls like marrow is the heart of the bone. We stay spiritually healthy by filling ourselves up with nourishing food from the Word by reading, memorizing and obeying what it says. We therefore have a healthy barrier of protection from becoming weakened and susceptible to Satan's attacks. It's just like cancer cells. It only takes one cell to get it's signals mixed up with something bad to affect another cell and makes the rest go bad. In time these undetected cells multiply until you realize you're not feeling well. It's only when you go in for tests do you realize you're body has been betraying you without you knowing it. You're sick and in need of treatment to become healed. Spiritually, that's when you turn to Jesus to fill yourself up with the fatness of His Word so you can gain strength, healing and become healthy again. I pray that I will continue to feed myself spiritually so that my spiritual immune system will not become weakened. Satan is crafty in his desire to draw us away from Jesus. For me, it only takes a small thing to create spiritual cancer. Arm yourselves with the Armor of God (Eph. 6:10-17)!

Krista Jones
1.26.08