"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
I love snow! I guess it's a good thing I go to Appalachian then. After leaving my prayer team meeting at BCM house this morning, I walked out into the flurry that was covering campus. The first thing that came to my mind (after, "hey, it's snowing!) was Isaiah 1:18. My sins were once as red as crimson, but God made them as white as the snow falling on my face. It amazes me that even in times when we fall short (which I know I fall short of his glory a lot), he still loves me enough to forgive me of my sins.
As I sit in the lobby of my dorm staring out my window at the snow, I cannot help but to think of every snowflake as a sin that has been forgiven. Each one that falls from the sky represents a sin that God has forgiven and made white. No matter how much snow falls to the ground, they are all white. No matter how many sins we commit, God still loves us and is cleansing us of those sins. It is amazing how little things such as snow can symbolize such a huge topic such as God's love and forgiveness.
I was reading my devotional today, The Voice of the Martyrs: Extreme Devotion, the story the author shared was of a little girl who was beaten because of her faith. The girl was given a white dress when she accepted Christ as her savior. This white dress symbolized God cleansing her heart and making her pure and as white as snow. As the little girl was lying on her death bed waiting her arrival of her new home, she asked for this dress, that was now covered in blood. This dress represents her new life in Christ. The blood that covered the dress was shed as the little girl's father beat her for her faith. The little girl states,
"Please, I want to show the dress to Jesus. He was willing to bleed for me. I just want Jesus to know that I was willing to bleed for him"
Sadly enough, the little girl died shortly after saying this. Once the girl accepted Christ as her savior and was made white as snow, she was willing to give up her life for Christ. She was willing to wear the white dress as just more than a dress, but as a symbol of her new life in Christ. Christ shed his blood on the cross to make us white as snow, and this little girl shed her blood to show Jesus how thankful she was for the love and forgiveness he gave her.
As I sit here wishing the snow would stick, I reflect on my life and the new life that Christ has given me. The joy he has filled me up with, and unconditional love he gives me. Am I willing to shed my blood to tell others about the blood shed to make me white as snow? Is the new and pure life that Christ has given me reflecting on my daily actions? As I close out this blog, I pray that you take the moment to reflect on the forgiveness God has poured out on you, and reflect on how he has made you white as snow.
"As the rain and the snow come down from Heaven, and do not return to it without water the earth and making it bud and flourish, that it yields seed for the sower and bread for the eater, so is my word that goes out from my mouth: It will not return to me empty,but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it. Isaiah 55:10-11
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