Whiteout

The Associated Press ran a headline this week stating: “Record-Smashing Snow Storm Blankets East Coast.”  With the 10 inches to 20 inches that fell this week across a large portion of the U.S. East Coast, Philadelphia , Baltimore and Washington have received more snow this winter than any time since record-keeping began. *

Have you ever heard the term “WHITEOUT” ?  Perhaps the affected areas have experienced this phenomenon.  Some may not know what the term means.  
The word has several uses:

1.    (noun) an arctic atmospheric condition with clouds over snow produce a uniform whiteness and objects are difficult to see; occurs when the light reflected off the snow equals the light coming through the clouds

2.    (verb) lose daylight visibility in heavy fog, snow, or rain

3.    (verb) cover up with a liquid correction fluid *

As the white blanket of snow falls across the land (and perhaps our own back yards), consider a wonderful word picture of the forgiveness of God...

"Come now, and let us reason together," Says the LORD, 
"Though your sins are like scarlet, They shall be as WHITE as SNOW; 
Though they are red like crimson, They shall be as wool.” – Isaiah 1:18

The Lord’s description of the sins of Israel also describes our OWN.  OUR sins “are like scarlet,” “red like crimson.”  OUR lives are stained with our mistakes – things that we’ve done (1 John 3:4) or left undone (James 4:17).  And, “the wages of sin is DEATH” (Romans 6:23).

Yet the Lord’s message to Israel was that if they would consider their situation (“reason with God”) and turn to Him in humility and penitence, He would forgive their sins and wash them away, leaving them “as white as snow.”  

He’ll do the same for YOU and for me – IF– we will respond to Him on His terms!

God loved the world so much that He gave His one and only Son to die for our sins.  The blood that Jesus shed in His death is the payment for our redemption.  OUR sins can be washed away through the blood of Jesus leaving our souls “as white as snow.”

He has promised to cleanse us from sin when we respond to Him by:
believing and trusting Christ (Acts 16:30-31), turning from our sins in repentance  
(Acts 17:30-31), confessing Jesus before men (Romans 10:9-10), and being 
baptized (immersed) in the name of Jesus for the forgiveness of sins (Acts 2:38).  
He has promised to CONTINUE to cleanse the child of God from sin AS HE CONTINUES  to walk in the light of His Word (1 John 1:7).

We ALL need a whiteout!  Won’t YOU allow God to cleanse you from your sins so that you can be “as white as snow”?

David A. Sargent, Minister

Church of Christ at Creekwood 
1901 Schillinger Rd. S.
Mobile, Alabama  36695

For information on ministries collecting funds to help in Haiti, click this link: http://www.christianchronicle.org/article2158985

* From www.definitions.net

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