White as Snow

I recently wrote the following in an email update:

It’s been wonderful to be in Minnesota this winter to enjoy the brilliant white snow (and family, new friends, and so many other wonderful blessings!). During the big snowfall (8 inches) last week I was with my sister and her family in Hutchinson, MN. As it began to snow shortly before lunch, I wondered how long it would take until the grass was no longer visible. It took only a few hours. As we went out to play in the snow later that afternoon after snow blowing the driveway, I marveled at the incredible beauty of the snow. My drive back to the Twin Cities was incredibly beautiful. I wondered at how the landscape had been transformed.


Isaiah 1:18
“Come now, let us settle the matter,”
says the LORD.
“Though your sins are like scarlet,
they shall be as white as snow;
though they are red as crimson,
they shall be like wool.


With such a perfect picture of the pure whiteness of snow, I found myself meditating on the incredible gift of forgiveness. I pictured my sins like the blades of grass. They stuck up, completely visible, before the snow began falling. The snow covered them in such a way that they were no longer visible. How wonderful to imagine! But even greater is that not only are our sins forgiven and cleansed, we don’t ever have to worry about them again. Unlike the grass that will certainly be visible with the coming of spring, we don’t have to worry that God is going to bring up sins he’s already forgiven. They’re cleansed, taken care of, for good. Wow! What amazing grace!


May God continue to draw us nearer to himself. May we be quick to seek his forgiveness and the forgiveness of others. May we live in the security that our sins have been made white as snow…not by our own effort, but through the work of Jesus Christ on our behalf.

As a snowstorm hit Minnesota this past weekend dumping 16-20 inches of snow on the area, it was amazing to continue to reflect on this idea.  The 'whiteness' of the snow is overwhelming at times--there's so much of it!  It's being trucked out of the city and off the roads. 
 
It is neat to picture Christ 'dumping' his righteousness on us (not trying to take lightly that incredible gift), in such amounts that we can't question whether our sins have been forgiven.  They're removed, forever...with pure whiteness, holiness.  Whoa!