White As Snow

Snow is one of those amazing, breath taking, beautiful things that God blessed us with. It always brings to mind how He said that though our sins are as scarlet, He would make us white as snow. Isaiah 1:18 Lately when I’ve watched it snow, I’ve thought not only about the filth of my sins, but about the filth of rape and how God in His infinite mercy cleanses me from that, too.

Some days, I feel so close to freedom from it all. Other days, I can feel the dirt hiding in crevices, interfering with my life... being an irritant... and I wonder if I’ll ever be truly free. I think of snow, falling one flake at a time and know that’s how healing comes, one victorious step at a time. It doesn’t matter how many steps it takes. It doesn’t matter if the snow comes in blizzard form or gently falling flakes... it cleanses. It refreshes and renews. It fills water tables and makes streams run. It quenches thirst and causes the ground to bring forth life. It can also sting, burning the skin. It can cause great discomfort and make any travel hazardous. It can cause death for those caught unprepared. And yet we need it.

The journey from rape is full of hazards. There are those that are so broken by it and so unprepared by life for it, that it brings death. (If not actual physical death, it can bring emotional and mental death.) For those that press forward, one step at a time, it often comes with great discomfort. It stings and burns and makes us want to run away. But if we stick to the course laid before us and keep walking, the victories pile up higher and higher and the beauty is evident. Refreshing and renewal happens and new life springs up. This is the work of God and each of us must chose to walk the path before us, if we want to see the fulfilled miracle of being made ‘white as snow’.

I can scorn the road set before me. I can throw myself down and refuse to walk it out, but I know that’s a deadly choice. An unfruitful and selfish choice.

Instead, I’ll continue putting one foot in front of the other and walk with Him. I’ll keep my eyes open for the tools He provides to make it through safely. I will prepare myself with God’s word, prayer and surround myself with others that love Him, so that even if a storm catches me off guard, I’ll survive and come out the other side closer to Him and more useful for His work. Jesus never promised we would go through life unscathed, but He did promise we would finish safely in His rest and fullness.