“Hast thou entered into the treasures of the snow?” (Job 38:22)
For those of you reading this who are not in Kansas City, I am looking out my office window at the accumulation of about 6 inches of yesterday’s snow, our first real snow of this winter. It was 6 degrees this morning when I took my wife to work at 6:00am, and the overnight low is forecast to be a balmy 5 below zero. I know some of you north and east of us have had it much worse, so I feel your pain. But right now, it is not easy to deal with the outside conditions where I live. Do not be surprised if someday I decide to open a seasonal branch of Crest Bible Church in Tampa that runs from December to March. Anyone care to join me?
The Bible has a few things to say about the white fluffy stuff that falls from the sky. Job said there are treasures in the snow. In many parts of the world, they never experience snow, and although we long to “retire” to places like that, there are disadvantages to year-round summer. We take an annual missions trip to Belize, where the record low overnight temperature in the villages is about 50 degrees. When it plunges into the 70’s, people wear coats and sweaters like we do now. It would be great to live in a climate like that, but the problem they have with bugs is unbelievable. You can saddle up and ride the cockroaches. Mosquitos eat you alive year round. It may be brutally cold outside today, but there are no bugs. They have orange trees in their yard, but you can’t get apples or raspberries in Belize because they need an annual freeze to produce fruit. Snow is a challenge on the roads, but there is no question the blanket of white is beautiful to look at once you get adjusted to the “snow blindness”. I guess I am just trying to convince myself that it is nice to have our current weather conditions. I don’t think I am succeeding.
Isaiah 55:10 -11 says, “For as the rain cometh down, and the snow from heaven, and returneth not thither, but watereth the earth, and maketh it bring forth and bud, that it may give seed to the sower, and bread to the eater: So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it.” Rain and snow falls from the sky to provide a blessing and purpose. It grows the crops so we can sustain life on this planet. But it has a larger purpose in demonstrating to us the blessings of the word of God. Without water we would die, and without the precious words of the living God, our spiritual life withers on the vine as well. God has a purpose for the snow. It covers the perennial flowering plants with a blanket of moisture protecting them from bugs and preparing them for their season of fruit bearing. We don’t like the snow, but we must understand that we have a spiritual “season of fruit bearing” for our Lord as well. Psalm 1 tells us that we bring forth fruit in our season when we allow the precious rain and snow of the word of God to water our lives. We enjoy the beautiful clear days of spring and summer so we can participate in all the great outdoor activities. I won’t be playing golf this week. I will have to wait for a couple more months at least before I can enjoy that passion. But today’s snow makes the course better for the spring days when the game is played.
Another great benefit of the snow is the picture it paints of the Lord and his sacrifice for our sins and the righteousness he gives to those who trust him. Isaiah 1:18 says, “Come now, and let us reason together, saith the Lord: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow…” Snow in the city is beautiful, but it doesn’t take very long for the slush and road grime to make it look yucky. A snow storm in the Rockies yields a much different view. The intense brilliance and pristine whiteness blinds us until our eyes can adjust. Those who have trusted Jesus as their Saviour will someday be conformed to his image, as white as snow (Rev 1:14). His scarlet blood transforms us into his glorious beauty. We have it on the inside now. One day, we will have it eternally as we will be glorified in him. May that day come soon!
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