Snow …

I find that most people don’t mind having a “white Christmas” but not too long into January they are getting kind of sick of snow. Not our family. My wife and boys and I love the stuff. We lived for nine years in Nairobi, Kenya and would tell our Kenyan friends about it — they could hardly believe such a thing existed, and they certainly didn’t want to be in a place so cold. Nevertheless, when we went on home assignment with our mission we usually tried to time it during the winter.

The other day my wife was talking to me about this recent snowfall. She watched it start off as countless little crystals in the air that just seem to hang there and then all of the sudden it became a mass of larger flakes that fell to the ground like a stage curtain. Her excitement over the wonder and beauty of it made me smile.

Snow seems so peaceful — a blanket of serenity over the general chaos of life. There’s an old Peanuts comic where Snoopy is recumbent upon his iconic doghouse roof and he and his domicile are covered in fresh snow. This picture remains just about the same through all four frames. His thought bubble in the first frame says, “It snowed last night.” Then, “Now I can’t see a thing … Suddenly I am shut off from the world and all its problems.” The third frame has no thought bubble — the anticipation frame setting up the comedic timing of the punch line. Finally, his thoughts erupt with, “Let’s hear it for the snow!” You can see it here: Snoopy on snow

In the first chapter of Isaiah, God speaks to His people who seem bent on disobedience though God has been so faithful to them for so long. He says, “Come, let’s discuss this. Though your sins are like scarlet, they will be as white as snow.” (1:18) The emphasis on snow here is its whiteness, symbolizing purity and cleanness before God. “Just come together with me on this issue of your sins,” God says, “and I’ll wash you; I’ll forgive.” The promise is peace with God — a fresh snowfall over our lives that covers all the self-centered striving and resulting anxiety and fear; a stage curtain that falls on our maddening attempt to run the show and have things our way.

God’s way to this peace and freedom is through His Son. It is only through a thorough washing in His blood that we are made clean — He was sacrificed in our place and took on our sins and the punishment for them. We can pray like David did in Psalm 51:7 “Wash me, and I will be whiter than snow” and it will be done in Christ. We were created not to walk in our own sin and selfish desires, but to walk with God in the splendor of His holiness. Through His Son He sends His favor down on us like a gentle snow — surrounding us, landing on our tongues and eyelashes, pleasant and pure, each snowflake uniquely made to guide us into Christ-likeness and true rest in the center of God’s will.

When I see snow it reminds me of God’s precious plans and purposes to rescue me from darkness and bring me into His light. When I see snow it makes me thankful for the cleansing power of Christ’s blood shed for me and the power of the Holy Spirit to change me from the inside out. When I see snow I know I can pray to my heavenly Father and He promises a surpassing peace which will guard my heart and mind until the day of Christ.

Let’s hear it for the snow!