What Difference Does an R Make?

NOTE:  This is something I wrote back in 2010; but I still think about the lesson almost every time we get snow. The photos are also from 2010.  For those of you reading who do not live nearby; the snow of the last two days amounted to less than a couple inches in our area.

 

Today I was out shoveling snow (which I’ve gotten rather good at this winter!) and my neighbor across the alley said, “We needed this snow.”

Of course I bit and asked “Really, why is that?”

He replied, “It was starting to look a little dirty”

As I smiled I said, “Then we’re going to need some more real soon because even this is beginning to look a little dirty after being shoveled off the alley.”

Now don’t get mad at me for saying we need more – I didn’t really mean that and that’s God’s department not mine anyway. But – the conversation got me to thinking . . .

Isn’t that a lot like my life? I confess my sin to my Savior and He forgives me and washes me clean yet again. But that beautiful clean landscape of my life and heart doesn’t stay that way for long. Sin is always crouching at my door, and sometimes just barges right in. When I allow it to do so it dirties up again the cleansing of forgiveness.

Wow – what a powerful lesson the snow is in reminding me of how easily my life can become “dirty” with little and big sins;which are all sin; all leave a mark or some kind . . . I am so thankful for God’s forgiveness and cleansing!

Then the next thought took me to Psalm 51:7 where David implores God to cleanse him and make him “WhiteR than Snow” . . . That’s where the “R” question comes in . . . .

To me snow is about as white and as pure and as clean (early on) as anything I can imagine or have seen, yet David doesn’t just say as white as snow, but whiter than snow . . . what does that or would that look like? 

 

Thank you God that You know – and that you make Your saving work of forgiveness available to me over and over and over again.  Thank you that as bright and clean and white fresh fallen snow looks; you make my heart even whiter with your forgiveness.  Have your way Lord!