"Let It Snow. . . !"

There are some who like to sing the winter song "Let it snow. Let it snow. Let it snow." Some of them even mean it. They love the snow. Yet, there are others who say "No!" to snow. Though presently the east coast of the United States is being hit harder than it is here on the west coast, our state of Washington has recently received enough snow to create some accidents, power outages, school closures, and difficulties in stores receiving some deliveries. Perhaps the most frustrating thing to some is the reality that the same snows that will make their skiing in the mountains good can also keeping them from getting there to do it.

Snow is a gift from God that serves a purpose in His wondrous creation. ( Job 38:22) I love looking at the fresh fallen snow. It is beautiful, especially when the sun is shining on it. Since our area doesn't generally get very much snow, I have taken advantage of the opportunity to take a number of pictures over the last few days. However, every time I see that SNOWY WHITE blanket covering the ground, I am reminded of an even greater gift of God.

The psalmist David prayed. . .
"(7) Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean; WASH ME, AND I SHALL BE WHITER THAN SNOW. (8) Let me hear joy and gladness; let the bones that you have broken rejoice. (9) Hide your face from my sins, and blot out all my iniquities. (10) Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me. (11) Cast me not away from your presence, and take not your Holy Spirit from me. (12) Restore to me the joy of your salvation, and uphold me with a willing spirit." ( Psalm 51:7-12 ESV)

A blanket of snow can cover many things. It can add beauty to even the ugliest of landscapes. God's work does not just cover, but blots out and removes our sins. He provides complete renewal.

In Isaiah we read. . .
"(18) Come now, let us reason together, says the Lord: THOUGH YOUR SINS ARE LIKE SCARLET, THEY SHALL BE AS WHITE AS SNOW; though they are red like crimson, they SHALL BECOME LIKE WOOL." ( Isaiah 1:18 ESV)

Our reasoning together with God is our rational acknowledgement of the sin in our life, that His Way is right, and the recognition of His provision as the only means of cleansing. In the previous verses of Isaiah, the need for repentance was made clear. Sin needs to be acknowledged as sin. Still, though our sins be as scarlet or red like crimson, there is power to make our life "WHITER THAN SNOW." Praise God that we can be made "white in the blood of the lamb." ( Revelation 7:14) Jesus is "the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!" ( John 1:29 ESV) Through our relationship with Him we can become purer and WHITER than the beautiful snows that blanket the ground. What a marvelous transformation by the grace of God to be cleansed and completely restored to the fresh SNOWY WHITENESS of purity before Him.

Have a great day WASHED CLEAN AND WHITE BY THE PRECIOUS BLOOD OF THE LAMB OF GOD!
Carl

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