The whole appearance of Leatherhead changed yesterday. Snow, snow and more snow. Dianna and I took the kids out for the day as we walked all over Leatherhead. There was a great vibe in the town as an abundance of people were about enjoying the snow. A real gladness was visible on everyone's faces. It was a lot of fun.
As we were walking through the foot deep snow which covered everything, we enjoyed the newly created landscape from the snow. We passed people building snow men in various places, random snowball fights breaking out across the town. Starbucks coffee shop's windows were steamed over for the multitude of people buying hot beverages. There was a sense of celebration.What a joy the snow brought, but snow does not last. Even now I look out my window as I blog and the snow is melting. It is temporary. What lies underneath will soon be visible again and the pure white snow will have disappeared.
I am reminded of what God said through the prophet Isaiah...
"Come now, and 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 be as wool." (Isaiah 1:18)
The Lord says that He wants to take our scarlet / crimson sin-stained heart and turn it pure white as snow. People in Leatherhead and indeed throughout the U.K. were enjoying the beauty of pure white over the land. Yet, there is a greater beauty for those who put their trust in Jesus as their Saviour. The sin stained heart is cleansed and made white as snow. This isn't simply a passing enjoyment such as the snow that melts away and what was previously there is revealed. This is a transformation of the heart as Jesus gives a new heart, a clean heart. What Jesus does is eternal. Our enjoyment then isn't simply white on the town, but white in the heart. With a clean heart we can worship God and enjoy His goodness for His favour will never melt away.
