Snow: A Different Perspective

If you are like many people here in the upper Midwest, you are a little sick of snow right now.  I am often teased about my love of snow, but I offer that it's all in the way you look at it.  Below is a little devo I wrote last year about this time.  I hope it gives you a fresh perspective as the flakes swirl around today.


SNOW: A DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVE

"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 as crimson, they shall be like wool.”  Isaiah 1:18 (NIV)

I’ve always loved snow.  Growing up in Minnesota, there was plenty of snow.  I loved to watch those beautiful, magical flakes falling from the sky.  It meant going outside to make snowmen , forts and snow angels, playing football with my brothers, and having snowball fights.  It often meant school was cancelled, and sometimes the snow would literally trap us in our house for a couple of days.  When that happened, we would have marathon Monopoly games, ping-pong tournaments, and card games.  Being “snowed in” was a treasured family memory for me.

I still love snow, even though now it means shoveling and driving in it.  We’ve had a lot of snow this winter.  This morning, as I watched it fall, I marveled again at its beauty.  The flurries pouring down from the sky were enchanting, calling me into a deep connection with the Creator of all.  I watched in wonder as God poured out fresh mercy over the earth, and I discovered an amazing link that drew me closer to Him.  As I considered the qualities of snow, God drew me a picture of redemption.    

In order for snow to fall, you need two things:  cold air and moisture.  It’s easier for sin to creep in when we are cold and lonely; we are tempted to run to false gods for warmth.  When that happens, we often feel the consequences of our actions.  Sometimes that looks like a torrential downpour of moisture into our lives.

As the snow approaches the earth, you notice that each flake is unique, and each one knows just where it is to land.  Each one of us is unique, and God sends just exactly what we need, when we need it.

In case you haven’t noticed, snow is white.  When there is fresh blanket of snow on the ground, everything looks clean and fresh.  It has a pure, cleansing quality.  God’s forgiveness has this same effect in our lives.

Another quality of snow is that is helps prepare the ground for spring.  As the sun begins to melt away the snow, the earth is dampened and provides fertile ground for seeds to be planted.  As we receive His mercy, God prepares our hearts for the new things He wants to do in us.  

Sometimes there are after effects to the snow.  The roads become slippery and hazardous. When we are convicted of our sin and ask forgiveness, we sometimes forget the act of repentance.  If we don’t turn away from our wrong actions, the road will soon become icy and difficult to navigate.

The winds will also occasionally pick up after a snowfall.  Sometimes the white stuff is blown around so much you can hardly see two feet in front of you.  Satan loves to blow in after we’ve had a great victory over sin and try to blind us from the direction God wants to take us.

Finally, it’s important to remember that it’s usually still cold after the snow arrives.  We may still feel a little lost and lonely, but if we choose the right source of warmth, the spring will soon come.

“Wash me, and I will be whiter than snow.”  Psalm 51:7b