Devotional: As Clean as Snow

For all of us have become like one who is unclean, And all our righteous deeds are like a filthy garment…He spoke and said to those who were standing before him, saying “Remove the filthy garments…See, I have taken your iniquity away from you and will cloth you with festal robes.” Isaiah 64:6; Zechariah 3:4

Here I am playing hooky from church!  Actually no; here’s the whole story.  There is lots of snow right now in Washington and our church purchased new speakers this weekend.  They are pretty hefty-over 100 lbs. each.  They and our family couldn’t fit in the car, our only covered transportation.  So they got to go to church today and not me!  I can barely drive my husband’s diesel 6 gear semi semi-truck when it’s bright and sunny so not going to attempt it today.

I’m sitting here is quiet house, having bundled the kids to go outside and play.  It’s quiet, even soothing.  Watching the snow fall outside my window.  I’m so glad to have this gift of slowing down just enough to see, appreciate, and hear God speak through His creation.  As I reflect I’m reminded of one of my greatest fears-driving in the snow.  My first teaching job was out in Whatcom County; a very rural area a few miles from Mt. Baker National Forest.  I had a 4 Runner at the time.  I also had a carpool!  One of the ladies in my carpool grew up in Minnesota so driving in the snow for her was easy.  She was very confident.  For me it was not.  When we get snow, we really get snow, but it doesn’t happen all that often so you don’t get much experience driving in it.  I remember driving and hearing her comment about how awful I was driving.  So pride kicks in and I start trying to drive like she can instead of knowing my limits.  So you probably can see where this story goes; I had many close calls trying to live up to someone else’s expectations of me.  That in itself could be a whole ‘nother blog post!

Since that time I’ve begun to fear the snow.  God is so good that he gave me a husband who is a trained driver in the snow!  He’s matched me up-my greatest fear is one of my spouse’s greatest strengths.  As I was thanking God for this, it occurred to me that this analogy far exceeds the qualities in my spouse but extends to the qualities of my God.  For deeper than the apprehension of driving in unsafe conditions is a fear that sticks it’s tentacles into the core of the soul: sin.  Being seen.  All your rotten garbage on display.  Being unloved for the mistakes you have made.  For that I have no remedy and no way to fix myself.  There is only God.  He has given His best qualities to me: mercy, grace, forgiveness…cleanness.  As when the snow covers anything it looks magical, transformed from filth to stainless gleam. 

It feels so good to be clean before God.  Sometimes like Peter I forget that I am already clean, but do need a “washcloth bath.”  The scene is the upper room, the Passover supper that was shared the night Jesus was betrayed.

6When Jesus came to Simon Peter, Peter said to him, “Lord, are you going to wash my feet?”

7 Jesus replied, “You don’t understand now what I am doing, but someday you will.”

8 “No,” Peter protested, “you will never ever wash my feet!”

Jesus replied, “Unless I wash you, you won’t belong to me.”

9 Simon Peter exclaimed “Then wash my hands and head as well, Lord, not just my feet!”

10 Jesus replied, “A person who has bathed all over does not need to wash, except for the feet, to be entirely clean. And you disciples are clean (John 13:6-10, NLT).

For I have been cleansed once for all, covered by Christ.  Unless you wash, you won’t belong to Him.  So why at times to I still feel dirty?  Because sin leaves the residue of who you were before, before grace.  But God provides even then.  He gets down on His knees; our Lord shows us His servant’s heart and washes away the areas we’ve soiled down the dusty road of life.  The feet here represent the sin-nature every Christian battles with.  We need to return, repent (turn away from) and be clean again.  Not in a salvation sense, but in a sanctification sense…and then the cycle continues towards growing more like Christ.  And being like Christ brings freedom and peace, like walking in the woods on a snowy day.  The world, your personal inner world, is fresh and new. 

Are you at peace?  Is there something there lurking, standing out like a stain on a pure landscape?   Be at peace.  Go to him who will make you clean as snow, for His love covers a multitude of sins (1 Peter 4:8). 

A great song to reflect on this throughout your day is Come Clean by Audrey Assaud (http://quietube2.com/v.php/http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=taGHl78A8a4) .  

I would also recommend reading Romans 3:19-26 and 7:14-25 as a way to let the Word speak. 

Washed in the Blood,

-Rayna