white as snow
As I write this, I am sitting in the warmth of my home while outside it is a winter wonderland. It never snows in Florida so this is new, but beautiful. I am used to beaches, rainbows, sunshine, and storms! Looking around at beautiful, white snow has given me a whole new view of God’s creation.
When I look at a sunrise or sunset, I am in awe of God’s goodness, as He has given me another day.
As I stare at a rainbow after a storm, I am reminded that there is beauty in pain, and God’s plan is always good.
And as I marvel at the beautiful white snow on the ground, I am full of joy knowing this is what the Lord does with us in our sin, washes us white as snow.
In Genesis, the beginning of it all, we read of sin entering the world. God had breathed man into existence, Adam, and then made a woman to be with him, Eve. As Eve and Adam stood in the Garden of Eden, they were joined by a serpent who said to the woman, “Did God really say, ‘You must not eat from any tree in the garden’?” The woman said to the serpent, “We may eat fruit from the trees in the garden, but God did say, ‘You must not eat fruit from the tree that is in the middle of the garden, and you must not touch it, or you will die.’” (Genesis 3:1-2)
Here we see the Serpent, Satan, the deceiver, tempter, and evil one, begin trying his tactics against Adam and Eve. He says, “You will not surely die, ... For God knows that when you eat from it your eyes will be open, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.” This is what the devil does, deceive and lie. He takes the words of God, twists them, and tries to tempt us to do the opposite. “You will be like God”, the words of Satan to tempt the innocence of Adam and Eve. Sadly, Eve fell for these tactics and as she ate the fruit that grew from the tree of knowledge of good and evil, sin entered the world.
Sin is rebellion against God and His Word, disobedience to Him, and ungodliness. After the fall we see in Genesis 3, every generation has been born sinners and the wages of sin is death- Romans 6:23. But the story doesn't end there, and Romans 6:23 has more to say. For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.
We will never walk this Earth as perfect people, but we will always be imperfect sinners who can know and serve a perfect, holy God. That is the beauty of the Bible.
It is a story of redemption. A story that tells us of the fall of humanity, to the redemption of the world. God sent His son, Jesus, to pay the price of our sins. He took the cross, took our sin, and dressed us in righteousness.
As Jesus journeyed to the cross, Jesus said, “You don’t have to wait for the End. I am, right now, Resurrection and Life. The one who believes in Me, even though he or she dies, will live. And everyone who lives believing in me does not ultimately die at all.” (John 11:25)
Death was not the end. Jesus conquered the grave, and through Him, we can live eternally with the Father. Satan didn’t win, Jesus holds the victory. We are now forgiven. He takes us, in our sin, filthy in scarlet red, and washes us white as snow. “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. Isaiah 1:18
When we place our faith, hope, and trust in Jesus Christ, we are forgiven, made new, and not remembered for our many sins. (1 Corinthians 13:5)
Sunrises remind me of God’s goodness.
A rainbow reminds me of God’s faithfulness.
Snow reminds me of His kindness, forgiveness, and unending love.
All scripture is used the New International Version; Genesis 3, Romans 6:23, John 11:25, 1 Corinthians 13:5, Isaiah 1:18
