Pure Like Snow

I don’t necessarily love snow, but there is something about it that makes me wish for it occasionally, particularly around the holidays. Maybe it is the quietness and peacefulness that a nice, clean snow brings. It blankets the world in white and makes everything appear to be new. Or maybe I’m just sentimental about a white Christmas. I’m not sure, but for whatever reason, I find myself hoping for some of the white stuff once in a while.

The first Christmas, on the other hand, probably was not white. Some folks make a big deal about when Jesus was actually born, and the fact that he was not born in December, but probably in the fall sometime- possibly September. And I’m not knocking that- we need to know the truth about the Word. However, sometimes we get hung up on the wrong things and we can miss the point. The important point is that God took on human flesh and dwelt with mankind as a man. The God who spoke worlds into existence, Who named the stars, Who set the sun in its place, laid aside His power and deity to become a helpless infant. And not just a regular infant, but one who was born and placed in a humble sheep trough. The King of the universe sleeping in straw. And although there was likely no blanket of snow on the ground, the atmosphere was clean and peaceful and holy.

Fast forward about 33 years. The time is Passover. The nation of Israel is preparing to remember the night when the blood of a lamb saved each Hebrew household from the death spirit that passed through Egypt. And as the Passover lamb was slain that year, Jesus was crucified and became the Lamb that takes away the sins of the world. Passover lambs had to be pure, with no blemish or imperfection. Jesus, who became our Passover Lamb, was pure, holy and blameless. And in His sacrifice we are delivered from death, just as the Hebrews were in Egypt. We are made clean and pure. White like snow.

“Come now, let’s settle this,” says the Lord. “Though your sins are like scarlet, I will make them as white as snow. Though they are red like crimson, I will make them as white as wool. Isaiah 1:18 (New Living Translation, NLT)

Maybe that’s it. Maybe my heart is drawn to snow because fresh snow is a visual reminder that our God surrendered His life to take our filthy, dirty sins, and make us sinless and undefiled. He died to give us His peace. This winter, even if you view snow as an inconvenience and a hazard, let it also be a reminder of the love of our God who became sin for us so we could be made holy and snow white.