Snowy Promises

The Lord has been gracious to use snow as a sweet reminder of His promises. When I was in college and in the midst of a spiritually tumultuous year, He sent a beautiful, quiet snow to remind me of His promise to "wash me and I will be whiter than snow." A few years ago an unexpected snow in an unexpected season (and fulfilled dream) of life reminded me that He can bring beauty to barrenness.

So, when Christmas Eve offered up a beautiful White Christmas I couldn't help but be giddy. I couldn't help but remember the promise of the manger, the promise of the Messiah, the promise of the Cross and the promise of the Resurrection.

The promise of the manger: the promise that we would have a high priest that would know what it's like to put on flesh.

The promise of the Messiah: the promise to be delivered from the slavery of sin.

The promise of the Cross: the promise to know suffering at its greatest extent and through that suffering absorbing wrath, imputing righteousness, atoning our sin and making all the Father's promises be a resounding YES.

The promise of the Resurrection: it's done--all our debt is paid in full--the pain and suffering will be but the pain of birthing new life.

"For all the promises of God find their yes in Him. That is why it is through him that we utter our Amen to God for his glory." 2 Cor. 1:20

The Lord, our fire in the hearth--His promises, our coat

photo courtesy of this site

I had to share the following devotional that I read this morning. The Lord is so sweet to not leave Matt, our family and me alone in this. What a tender Father to warm my heart this morning with a precious flame:

Morning + Evening by C.H. Spurgeon--December 1, Morning:

"Thou hast made summer and winter."
--Psalm 74:17

My soul begin this wintry month with thy God. The cold snows and the piercing winds all remind thee that He keeps His covenant with day and night, and tend to assure thee that He will also keep that glorious covenant which He has made with thee in the person of Christ Jesus. He who is true to His Word in the revolutions of the seasons of this poor sin-polluted world, will not prove unfaithful in His dealings with His own well-beloved Son.

Winter in the soul is by no means a comfortable season, and if it be upon thee just now it will be very painful to thee: but there is this comfort, namely, that the Lord makes it. He sends the sharp blasts of adversity to nip the buds of expectation: He scattereth the hoarfrost like ashes over the once verdant meadows of our joy: He casteth forth His ice like morsels freezing the streams of our delight. He does it all, He is the great Winter King, and rules in the realms of frost, and therefore thou canst not murmur. Losses, crosses, heaviness, sickness, poverty, and a thousand other ills, are of the Lord's sending, and come to us with wise design. Frosts kill noxious insects, and put a bound to raging diseases; they break up the clods, and sweeten the soul. O that such good results would always follow our winters of affliction!

How we prize the fire just now! how pleasant is its cheerful glow! Let us in the same manner prize our Lord, who is the constant source of warmth and comfort in every time of trouble. Let us draw nigh to Him, and in Him find joy and peace in believing. Let us wrap ourselves in the warm garments of His promises, and go forth to labours which befit the season, for it were ill to be as the sluggard who will not plough by reason of the cold; for he shall beg in summer and have nothing.