My Sins, Whiter Than Snow

I got excited recently when I hear it is going to snow. When I noticed the first flakes falling, I made a mug of tea, pull my over-stuffed chair around so it faced the picture window, and watched until peace filled my soul.

While I was enjoying the beauty of the snow, a verse permeated my thoughts and I knew the Lord desired to speak:

Purify me from my sins, and I will be clean; wash me,

and I will be whiter than snow.

Psalms 51:7

“I will be whiter than snow” was the phrase He highlighted so I kept rolling that over in my mind. Hummm…snow looks really white, Lord, but there must be something about snow I’m not seeing.

So…I researched how snow is formed and found out an interesting fact. Snowflakes are formed from dust particles in the air. When the temperature of the cloud is below freezing, water vapor collects on those tiny particles of dust/dirt/pollutants and turns into ice. The tiny crystals stick together until they form snowflakes.

In David’s time, atonement for your sins (dust/dirt/pollutants) was a requirement by God to stand right before Him. Sins were transferred to the spotless lamb and then the sin ladened lamb was killed and his blood was drained and placed upon the alter. (Leviticus 17:11) The Jewish people came back yearly for their sins to be completely washed away by this ritual. However, the Jewish people were never completely rid of condemnation, guilt, and shame-consciousness for their wrongdoing and ungodly attitudes. Soon after the cleansing ritual would be completed, sin would again begin to accumulate. Being whiter then snow was only a momentarily blessing.

As I continued to meditate on the scriptures, God showed me the picture of a long wooden table, which I understood represented the entire life of a Jew who went through the yearly cleansing ritual for his sin. Next, I saw a long blood red silky fabric that had been gathered from one end to the middle. As I continued to look, an accumulation of what looked like black dirt (sins) appeared on the table, located just before the silky fabric. Suddenly the fabric moved to cover the dirt then stopped. I could see there were bumps from previous years. Then it moved again over a new accumulated pile of dirt that appeared and then once again. The process was representative of the blood of the lamb covering the yearly sins of a Jew. When the silky blood red cloth covered the full length of the table perfectly, it meant the person’s life would have been over with all sins covered under the blood of the lamb. As long as he kept up the yearly trip to the temple, his sins were covered.

This sacrificial system went on for hundreds of years and it was the only way the Jewish people could be free of God’s judgment in their lives.

Then...when the time was right Jesus came
…and everything changed!!

Part 2 of My Sins-Whiter Than Snow

Next Week

What’s A Snake?

Quite some time ago, I lived in a place called Lake Providence, LA. The town was built around this beautiful cypress crusted oxbow lake formed from the Mississippi River centuries earlier. We loved to go down to the lake and sit on the dock. You could catch catfish, brim, and bass and swimming anytime the weather permitted.

One day, while I was sitting out on the pier, I noticed a snake had caught a catfish and was proceeding to swallow the fish whole! When I walked over to observe, the catfish was halfway in. But as I stood there, I noticed the snake reversed his intent and began to release the catfish from his jaws. Soon the fish and the snake were gone.(Video of snake/fish)

Researched characteristics of snakes:

·      They can ‘unlock’ their jaw to accommodate any size meal they catch.

·      Their skin is expandable so the meal can go all the way in to be digested.

As I pondered on the spiritual implication, the Holy Spirit spoke up and said, “The snake is just a mouth and a tail.”

“Yes, but what do you mean by that statement?” I replied.

“The enemy has a big mouth. His mouth can only speak negatively about your past, the tail. He cannot proclaim or create truth so everything that comes out is a lie.” the Holy Spirit answered.

Yeah, I thought.He gains power by manipulating my thoughts and feelings to make me doubt whether I am measuring up to God’s standards. The enemy wants me to remain insecure about God’s love and the power of Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross. So if I agree with the enemy, he will proceed to unlock his jaws and swallow me whole. Slowly and methodical, worrisome thoughts fill my mind as his mouth covers my head halfway. If the enemy of our soul can maintain control of my thinking and keep me double minded about God's love and forgiveness then he will be able to swallow me whole killing my passion and my destiny.

So…how should I think about our past sins then? Are they all forgiven?

If we confess our sins, his faithful and just to forgive us our sins,

 and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

I John 1:9

When I went back to study the Greek translation on this passage and others, I found out Jesus not only took all my sins (past, present, future) away but having to feel the shame, guilt, and condemnation of them too. I never have to think about the past again in a negative light. I use it to show others His amazing grace. If I allow these negative thoughts to swallow me up, then it is not God who is glorified in my ‘self-proclaimed humbleness’ but it is Satan’s lies that I am exalting. I have had a hard time believing the total scope of God’s grace but I am now opening my heart to believe. The result is I am experiencing freedom and boldness on a whole new level.

Are you struggling with thought patterns designed to sidetrack your progress? We all do. However, the ones who can see those patterns for what they really are, throw those destructive thoughts out and replace them with the Truth of God’s word. It may not be easy but it is life changing. Blessings to all who are reexamining the Truth that will set them free.

Then you will know the truth and 

the truth WILL set you free. 

John 8:32