Hast thou entered into the treasures of the snow?

(Note: For some reason the option of adding photos is not working - I'll try later on to include a couple....)

I believe this morning will mark the winter solstice and herald the beginning of the calendar winter. Even though I really do not endulge in many winter sports and activities, outside of shoveling, I have always enjoyed the winter months - and the colder and snowier the better. There is just something about the beauty of the snow and the sharp bite of a bitter cold air that creates in me an overwhelming desire to rejoice in what God has done.

It has been a pleasant winter thus far. While the past few winters have been very mild and dry, this month has thus far been one of the coldest and snowiest months that we have enjoyed for a few years. We've had temperatures below 0 twelve days this year and we had had nearly 18" of snow. In fact, as I type this, the mercury already has tumbled to -3.5.

The Scriptures are not silent about the snow. We see God's sovereign work in sending the snow as a blanket to cover the earth: "For he saith to the snow, Be thou on the earth; likewise to the small rain, and to the great rain of his strength."

God, in his series of questions put forth to Job, enquires: "Hast thou entered into the treasuries of the snow?"

Finally, David (who must have enjoyed God's creation much like I do) remarks: " He giveth snow like wool: he scattereth the hoarfrost like ashes. Fire, and hail; snow, and vapour; stormy wind fulfilling his word:"

When I see the crystals sparkling like diamonds, I am reminded of God's marvelous handiwork in this world that God has made. Not only does this wintry landscape remind me of God's creative works, I am reminded of God's redemptive work by some of the metaphors that we read in the Scriptures concerning snow:

"Come now, and let us reason together, saith the LORD: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool."

Once, a long time ago when I was working on repairing farm equipment for my dad after school, I found myself one winter afternoon painting a running gear red and noticing some red paint that had spilled out on the snow below. (I know the directions on the can said not to paint below 50, but sometimes the directions don't always get followed!) I thought of the verse above and poured a little of the bright crimson paint on to the ground. The red on white was a stark contrast and I rejoiced that my wickedness could be forgiven and my iniquities cast as far as the east from the west.


" His countenance was like lightning, and his raiment white as snow: And his raiment became shining, exceeding white as snow; so as no fuller on earth can white them. His head and his hairs were white like wool, as white as snow; and his eyes were as a flame of fire;"

There are, of course, many verses that utilize various metaphors and other descriptive forms to describe the Person of Christ, snow not excluded.. These verses often come to mind when I am gazing at the snowflakes tumbling from the sky.

Our lives are but vapors and before we know it, these cold days of winter will soon pass and the snow will melt and the blade and bud will shoot forth and I will be looking for my gardening tools. I will look forward to the garden, but the days of heat and biting bugs will give me pause, and I may even sigh and long for the coming winter, but I hope to learn to enjoy each day that the Lord has made. This day was sunny and very cold. It was the day that the Lord has made, I shall rejoice, and be glad in it.