What A Difference A Day Makes
By Jeannine Sawall
“Come now, let us settle the matter,”
says the Lord. “Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as
white as snow; though
they are red as crimson, they shall be like wool.”
Isaiah 1:18 (NIV)
Going to bed one night, the winter
landscape was drab and brown. We were missing the usual snow that blankets the
lawns and so we were left with cold, dormant grass, bare trees and a pretty
barren view out our window. However, a few inches of snow fell during the night
and when I woke up this morning, the landscape had been transformed into a
winter wonderland. Bare branches were now blanketed with snow, the lawns were
no longer cold and dismal but covered by the wintery whiteness. What a
difference a day made!
As I drank in the beauty of the true
Wisconsin winterscape now outside my windows, it reminded me of what a
difference a day with Jesus makes in our life. Before we come to know Him, our
lives are a landscape of dark, drab colors where everything that is unsightly
is out in the open before God. Once we meet Jesus, our lives our completely
covered. Our hearts are covered with His love. Our sins are now covered by His
blood. Our future is now covered by His promise of eternity. Our mistakes are
covered by His forgiveness. Just as the snow covers everything that is
unsightly and bare during winter, Jesus’s love is powerful enough to cover
(forgive) the things in our lives that are unsightly and barren due to sin. Our
sin is no longer an unsightly stain, but we have been washed white as snow by
the precious blood of Jesus!
With the new fallen snow, the sun
then reflects off it, illuminating with a thousand points of light. Similarly,
the Son reflects Himself in our lives, giving off His light to a world still
barren and unsightly. As followers of Jesus, we are called to be a light in the
darkness. We are called to reflect His glory and His compassions every day.
A fresh snow makes all the
difference to a barren winter landscape. A fresh meeting with Jesus makes all
the difference in a barren heart. Whether we have never met Jesus or have we
have a spiritual life that needs to be refreshed, take the time to let Him come
and change the current landscape. He alone will bring a fresh perspective to
our lives. He alone will cleanse us
white as snow and He alone can cover us with His grace, His love and His light.
GOING DEEPER:
1. In what ways does your spiritual
landscape need refreshing?
2. How do you reflect the Lord to
the world around you?
FURTHER READING:
Jeannine
is a wife and mother of four great boys. She works in the property management
business. Jeannine serves in several behind-the-scenes ministries at Oakwood
and has a heart for those who are grieving.
