Whiter Than Snow

This morning I am consumed by thoughts of snow. There is little mystery to my obsession. Snow has been falling since yesterday morning. It is quite simply beautiful. At the same time, I am well aware that it will cause some heavy labour later today, as it did yesterday as well. Despite its inherent beauty and usefulness for winter sports and activities, snow must be moved so that we can function. The snow blower will get a work out today as will the snow blower operator. Before that reality is faced, I am taken with the breathtaking whiteness of the landscape. It is indeed difficult to think of anything on this earth that is whiter than snow. There is a brightly lit Christmas tree just outside the window of the kitchen and the accumulated snow makes it all the more beautiful in the predawn darkness.

I have been contemplating how snow is mentioned in the Bible. It is of course considered a power of God in bringing much needed moisture to the earth. The Book of Job speaks of a “treasury of snow” which is controlled by God. (Job 38:22) It is used in multiple descriptions of those suffering from leprosy. Miriam’s instant transformation to a leper is a classic example of describing someone with leprosy as “white as snow”. (Numbers 12:10) Snow is often used to describe the whiteness of the garments or hair of God or of Jesus. When describing the transfiguration of Jesus, Mark tells us that “His clothes became shining, exceedingly white, like snow…”. (Mark 9: 3) My favourite use of the imagery of snow is actually a promise of God. It is a promise that I marvel at every day. The first seven verses of Psalm 51 are always a great comfort for me and in verse seven I am assured that I will be “whiter than snow”.

1 ¶ To the Chief Musician. A Psalm of David when Nathan the prophet went to him, after he had gone in to Bathsheba. Have mercy upon me, O God, According to Your lovingkindness; According to the multitude of Your tender mercies, Blot out my transgressions.
2 Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity, And cleanse me from my sin.
3 For I acknowledge my transgressions, And my sin is always before me.
4 Against You, You only, have I sinned, And done this evil in Your sight––That You may be found just when You speak, And blameless when You judge.
5 Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity, And in sin my mother conceived me.
6 Behold, You desire truth in the inward parts, And in the hidden part You will make me to know wisdom.
7 ¶ Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean; Wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.

As David cries out to the LORD in this Psalm, we are reminded that God is always willing, when we acknowledge our sin, to wash us and cleanse us so that we become “whiter than snow”. To Him our sins are just gone. They are put far away from Him forever. They simply don’t exist. We are free of them. I marvel at how this could possibly happen and then remind myself that Jesus came to earth to take all of my sins upon Himself so that I could be redeemed as someone who God sees as “whiter than snow”. Snow is indeed a beautiful thing this morning.

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