Whiter Than Snow

Psalm 51:7 – Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean: wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow. (KJV)

2 Corinthians 5:21 – God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God. (NIV)

God rarely opened His storehouse of snow in the place I lived at six years of age. But snow had been predicted for Christmas. I pressed my nose against the small window and watched in anticipation as the white snowflakes began to fall like feathers, getting larger and fluffier as the hours went by. Eventually, the dirty, greasy machinery and muddy roads in our lumber mill camp soon became transformed into a silent, white winter wonderland. The landscape, as though covered by a thick goose-down comforter — complete with pillows — seemed spotless — brand new. That memory set into my young mind the idea of looking with hopeful expectation for a white Christmas every year.

Later, when I learned the significance of Jesus' birth and the reason for His coming, everything else about our celebration of Christmas dimmed. I looked at snow, tinsel, ornaments, and the colourful strands of lights in a new way. We know as Christians that we celebrate the coming of Christ, who is God's gift of love and promise to us. The coming of Christ was predicted. His love saves us from sin and covers us like a comfortable goose-down comforter. God's pure, holy Word teaches us that when we accept Christ as our Saviour, we are given the ability to see spiritually the meaning of God's ways and to live a life of faith in Christ. He transforms us from what we were into His own likeness. I seldom watch for the snow of Christmas anymore because the purity of Christ's righteousness is, to me, the most brilliant of whites.

The lovely white of a snowy landscape is no longer significant to me as I prepare for the celebration of Jesus' birth. Although snow is beautiful to behold, do we need the white of snow to make a joyous reception of Christ? Christ is with us believers all the time, because His righteousness lives within these earthly bodies, so we can celebrate Him every day. There is no brighter white than salvation through Jesus Christ our Lord. People sing songs of a nostalgic, white Christmas, but believers have a reality that is whiter than snow. Our reality is not seasonal, but eternal, with hope. Faith in Christ brings no disappointment.

Matthew 6:33 – But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things will be added unto you. (KJV)

Prayer: Dear Lord Jesus, we take time during the celebration of Your birth to remember that Christmas is a perpetual thing. It is eternal. We thank You for the gift of salvation that comes from You, as the pure, holy, perfect, only-begotten Son, who gives us the gift of salvation and hope throughout eternity because Your righteousness is whiter than snow. Amen.

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