Winter’s Damage Reveals the Soul

Whiter than snow, Lord, whiter than snow. Wash me and I shall be whiter than snow.

Wherever you live in the USA, you’ve been aware of the great snow storm. You have likely been part of preparations, predictions, and in much of the country, its fulfillment. Before it hit, stores filled with people and shelves emptied.

There was something about its anticipation that brightened my grandson’s eyes, and with theirs, mine too. Snow was on its way. And, life would be disrupted. The excitement bubbled under their surfaces as they imagined forts, sledding, and school closing. I felt it too, an excitement tinged with adult concerns over complications of winter’s damage.

Two days ago, the panorama out my living room window held a gray bare Virginia countryside. Today it is covered with sparkling white, the kind that takes your breath away for its unmarred perfection. The bright ground is smooth and undisturbed. The ice-coated trees shine like jewels.

The blanketed hills and smooth valleys remind me of David’s prayer after Nathan the prophet confronted him about his sin with Bathsheba.

“Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean; Wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.” (Psalm 51:7 NKJV)

David allowed the chill of laxity toward God to numb his conscience and shatter his resolve. And then, while he watched from the roof of his palace, Bathsheba took a bath. (2 Samuel 11-12) A bit ironic, isn’t it?

In the Old Testament, a branch from the hyssop shrub dipped in the blood of a sacrificed animal was sprinkled on someone for ceremonial purification. It prefigured Jesus’ blood sacrifice for our sins. David’s reference to hyssop showed profound conviction of his sin and need for forgiveness. Deep humility and repentance brought restoration. 

But let’s not forget that David’s sin had consequences that affected him, his family, and his entire nation for centuries.

When I woke this morning to the smooth whiteness outside my window, I thought of David’s Psalm and a hymn began singing in my memory.

Lord Jesus, I long to be perfectly whole;

I want Thee forever to live in my soul,

Break down every idol, cast out every foe;

Now wash me and I shall be whiter than snow.

Refrain:

Whiter than snow, yes, whiter than snow,

Now wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.

Dear Jesus, I long to be perfectly whole

Author: James Nicholson (1872)

Tune: [Lord Jesus, I long to be perfectly whole] (Fischer) (Public Domain)

We often take comfort from David’s story when sin muddies our scene, or when Christian leaders fall. Scripture after all calls David, a “man after God’s own heart.” His colossal sin makes us somehow feel better about ours.

But we must not forget that God’s gracious forgiveness and spiritual restoration did not erase the consequences of David’s sin. They fell not just on him, but on many others including those he loved. His family suffered immensely.

The painful ripples continued long after David’s repentance and even past his death. Rape, incest, fightings, and murder grew and thrived for generations, with ramifications that mushroomed. Impurity marred his dynasty like the adulterated aftermath of winter’s damage.

A few years ago we had a heavy snow. Frosts and freezing temperatures split and cracked tree bark and branches fell. Warm weather plants died. Greens turned brown. Trees uprooted from the weight, and some of the trees never straightened up again.

Life lived in a distant relationship with Jesus, chills. Winter damage sets in. But the repercussions continue. Consequences linger. We leave behind mushy messes of ugliness when wrong tramples with right.

We are all like David in so many ways.

Forgiveness and grace are wonderful and powerful gifts. Love and obedience are too.

God’s grace was sufficient before he yielded to adultery. The hyssop David symbolically calls for was available to purge even the desire and thoughts that weakened his resolve.   

Have you ever wondered how different history would be if David had refused temptation? What if he had chosen to follow God with strength and purity?

What if he had called on God instead? Would then his loyal friend have been murdered, a child been born to die, and the ongoing consequences for an entire nation altered?

As I look at our nation and our world today, my spirit is often weighed down by the heavy loads of lies, rancor, and filthy speech. Like dirtied trampled snow, we as a nation suffer the winter damage of our soul.

A merciful forgiving God, full of love and compassion, is a wonderful reality for the believer in Jesus Christ. A heart stained by sin knows hope. It can become pure again, like freshly fallen snow. But, a heart undefiled, one that diligently loves and obeys, holds so much less collateral damage. It leaves behind so much less heartache.

         Break down every idol, cast out every foe…Dear Jesus, I long to be perfectly whole

May the longing of our hearts be of obedience and purity. May our love for Christ be nurtured in our hearts and reflected in our actions. And may the warmth of His presence protect us, surround our days, and provide His power to resist sin and choose right.

What winter damage threatens your soul?

 

 

 

*Feature Photo by Philip Schroeder