“Come now, let us reason together,” says the LORD.
“Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be white as snow.” (Isaiah 1:18a-b)
“Cleanse me with hyssop, and I will be clean;
wash me, and I will be whiter than snow.”
(Psalm 51:7)
God has a sense of humor. Earlier this month we had our last snow—in April!? It’s really not unusual to get snow in the Chicago suburbs; but after a long winter, with a lot of snow, most of the natives, including me, are looking forward to spring!
Snow provides a momentary graphic of what “is clean”. But that snow, depending on where it lands, can become dirty quickly. More importantly, snow reminds me that getting clean (asking God’s forgiveness and other(s) if I’ve sinned against them) from my own sin is through Christ’s blood alone. “In fact, the law requires that nearly everything be cleansed with blood, and without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness” (Hebrews 9:22).What’s sweet is that not only am I forgiven when I seek God for it, but He cleanses me too!
“But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin. If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. If we claim we have not sinned, we make him out to be a liar and his word has no place in our lives” (1 John 1:7-10).
Not only does God clean us up when we mess up (sin)! we seek His for forgiveness, but He makes us whiter than snow! I need this every day!
“Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has gone through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to the faith we profess. For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet was without sin. Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.” (Hebrews 4:14-16).
