“It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas!” These words rang in my head and joy filled my heart as the snow fell last weekend. I’ve always loved how everything looks bright and new after a fresh snow. It’s as if the snow is wiping away all of the dirt, grime, and chaos of the world, leaving behind a clean slate for us to start anew.

David must have had this imagery in mind when he prayed, “Cleanse me with hyssop, and I will be clean; wash me, and I will be whiter than snow,” (Psalm 51:7 NIV). God himself said, “…Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow… (Isaiah 1:18b NIV).

Snow is a beautiful picture of our salvation as God purifies us of our sin. But God reminded me today that in some ways, the actual snowfall is more like our sanctification. Snow doesn’t cover the earth all at once like a blanket. It falls flake by flake, ever so slowly covering more and more ground. That’s how it is with our sanctification. As Chad shared in a recent sermon, God doesn’t expect 30-year maturity from a brand-new Christian, just to perform at our current maturity level. Our loving Father helps us to grow day by day. His Spirit comes tenderly upon us like a gently falling snow. Praise God today that He never gives us more than we can handle (1 Cor. 10:13) and he promises to help us succeed (Phil 1:6)!

Renita