Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean;
wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow. (Psalm 51:7)

Bear with me this morning; I am trying to find a silver lining to all this snow.  I used to dream of a white Christmas, whistling along with Bing on the radio; then I moved to Iowa.  After clearing the driveway twice yesterday, and knowing I’ll have to do it again today, I’m struggling to find my happy place when it comes to all this snow.

I do love to see the joy on my children’s faces when it snows (but I wonder if they are more excited about school being cancelled).  Getting everyone bundled up and out in the snow was a blast.  Watching them roll and dive in the snow transported me back to a carefree time when there were no worries in the world. 

Still, as I watched the snow fall last night, I was filled with a sense of peace and comfort that didn’t come from the sound of frolicking children.  Little by little the snow came down and covered everything around me.  The leaves that I never got out to rake this fall, the yellow pinstripe on the back of my car that I got while backing into the babysitter’s truck, the dirt and muck that was kicked up by the plow as it came down the street; all of it was covered by a clean white blanket of new fallen snow.

I then saw the snow in a new way: this is how God sees me in Jesus Christ.  I know this may come as a surprise to most of you, but I am not a perfect guy.  Far from it.  If the truth be known, there are days when I should be the one in the pews not the pulpit.  Even on my best days my righteous works of service and sacrifice are tainted by motives of self-promotion and vain-glory.  Like my yard around me, there are stains and dirt polluting my life, scars from my past offences, evidences of work left undone.  But God, in His grace and love, has covered me with the righteousness of Christ, so that all He sees when He looks at me is the perfection and purity of His Son.  The righteousness of Christ has covered me – it doesn’t change the fact that His Spirit will continue to work in me to produce the fruits of righteousness, cleansing and overcoming the effects of sin in my life.  Even still, as I stand before the throne of God, I am reckoned righteous because of Jesus my Savior.

O what confidence and joy I can have now to live my life in the grace of Jesus Christ.  I am covered by His righteousness.  I strive to live my life now in a way that will bring honor to His name, giving thanks for His love and righteousness which saves me.  But I also know that, though I will not reach perfection in this life, because of Jesus, I have been declared right with God. 

There’s a lot of snow out there, I’ll probably have a foot or two to clear this afternoon.  As heavy as the blanket of snow might be, it is nothing in comparison to the grace of God which covers us in the righteousness of Christ.  May this thought bring you true joy and peace!

Grace and peace,

SDG