Tuesday, February 8, 2011

“Snow on Snow” from: In the Bleak Midwinter

“Snow on snow”, that has been our winter.  We have had major snow storms weekly. Since New Years day over 6 feet of snow has fallen.  Our neighbor plows our driveway, my son shovels the roof.  We all work at keeping paths open to various important places on the property like the front door which is seldom used, the oil tank and the wood pile. It is a lot of work and a huge inconvenience.


As each storm pours its contents on our lawn layers of snow are created.  The white strata separated by thin layers of ice resembles the geological column.  Cambrian period: 8 inches of snow, thin layer of ice.  Triassic period: 24 inches of snow, ½ inch of ice.  Tertiary period: (which is falling down right now) 5 inches of snow, to be followed later by some melt and subsequent freezing into ice. Like the song says, “snow on snow.”


But my Father says that , “though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be white as snow.” (Isaiah 1:18)  An amazing promise!  He can remove the stain of my sin.  Not a trace of faded pink left, only the pure white of complete forgiveness.  That is comforting.


But, I have a huge problem.  The law of sin motivates and perpetuates everything in me.  And like Paul,  “the good that I will to do, I do not do; but the evil I will not to do, that I practice.” (Rom 7:19) When I think of how often I fall in the same temptations I get discouraged.  But just this morning, when I felt like it would be impossible for God to forgive, again; I saw the snow. Layer upon layers of snow.  White, pure and innocent snow! 


My gracious Father taught me that as deep as my sin goes, as often as I fall He has an abundance of mercy. Though my sins are red as scarlet they shall be white as “snow on snow.”