White as Snow

Dear Fellow Children of God,

 

About a week ago I saw what I thought was an interesting picture of Denali in a local newspaper.  Mt. McKinley was covered with snow as it always is, but the surrounding area was brown in the picture.  Lack of snow is somewhat unusual for December in Alaska.  But, at that time we hadn’t had much snow yet.  The lack of snow was getting reactions from people too.  We usually close Confirmation Worship each Wednesday with our youth in a circle, holding hands, and praying.  Two weeks ago, on December 5, one student prayed for snow, and then another prayed that God would not send snow.  Hmmm, dueling prayers!

 

Anyway, we know what has happened since that time.  It started snowing on Tuesday, December 11 and continued snowing for a couple of days.  Most people I know say they had about 12” of snow at their home.  That is a quick end to the lack of snow we’ve had so far this winter.

 

I actually enjoy winter.  I know some who dread the dark and the cold and the snow, but to me it is another opportunity to enjoy the variety and beauty of God’s creation.  I enjoy getting out doors in the winter to ice fish and to snow ski, and to spend time with my family.  But, there is another blessing that comes with snow, a reminder of God’s forgiveness.

 

Maybe you too faced challenges with the wind in recent weeks.  One day I put out my trash to be picked up but the wind was blowing.  The winds swept my hat off my head.  The wind blew over the trash can, and almost blew me over.  I picked up the trash can, and tried to pick up the trash, but the wind blew the trash can over 3 more times, and I found ravens and other animals helping to strew the trash around our yard and the neighborhood.  This Monday I picked up everything I could find, but I know there are still items out there that the wind distributed around.

 

But, when I look out my window today I find no trash, just a pure white blanket of snow covering the brown of the dead grass and the trash that had been scattered around. 

 

In Isaiah 1:18 we are told, "Come now, let us reason together," 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.”  This was a picture the people of Israel could understand.  Their sins and idolatries had led to God’s coming judgment, but He was offering to cover the crimson of their sin with the white of His forgiveness.  Our lives are messy with selfishness, failures, and times we have rebelled against God.  There is no way we can pick up the mess of our own sins on our own.  But God sent His Son, Jesus, whose birth we celebrate at Christmas.  Jesus died to make our crimson sins white and to cover the mess in our lives with the white blanket of His love and forgiveness.

 

We can look at the winter landscape and see a visual example of God’s love for us, "Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow;”

 

A Child of God, Thankful for the Forgiving Love of the Righteous Creator of the World,

Pastor Jonathan

 

P.S.  Here are some pictures for a winter outing this past Monday.  https://picasaweb.google.com/114993745799525883148/IceFishing12102012?authuser=0&feat=directlink

 

 

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ABOUT ‘THOUGHTS FROM THE PASTOR’ -   I am sending these e-mail messages, hopefully weekly, to all St. John members and friends whose e-mails I have.  (I am always adding new names of friends and members – in case you are just receiving this e-mail for the first time.)  However, if you don’t want to receive this e-mail, please let me know, and I’ll gladly leave your name off my list for this message. . . Or, if you know someone who would like to receive one of these e-mails, please send me their e-mail address.

 

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