White As Snow

Saturday morning my wife called attention to our Japanese Red Maple. It was becoming covered in white snow as our first snowfall of the season began to change the landscape all around us from fall to winter, very quickly. I went outside with my camera and captured this picture for her. However as I snapped the picture I could not help but think of this verse:

“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 like crimson, they shall become like wool. (Isaiah 1:18 ESV) 

As I stared at the scene outside, and stare at the picture now, I can't help but imagine all that has been accomplished for me on the Cross. Even later that day into Sunday, many of the red seen in this picture was stripped away completely as the weight of the white snow was no match for a decaying leaf. Sin is no match for the price that Christ paid on the cross.

Oh what a glorious reality is the one that this picture represents!

Perhaps sadness could overtake me as I stare at that tree.  Not because it reminds me of sin in general, but sin in a very personal way. I would need a much larger tree for each leaf to represent one of the many sins of mine that died on the cross. Yet instead I rejoice because in Christ, that is indeed what they are, dead.

Paid in full, by the blood of Christ.

Enjoy the song ...

His,

Matthew

-sdg

♫ Jesus paid it all, 

All to Him I owe;

Sin had left a crimson stain, 

He washed it white as snow

O Praise the one who paid my debt

And raised this life up from the dead ♫