As White as Snow.

I’m sitting here, Indian style, at my dinning room table …

Looking out the window, I see the most beautiful picture of God’s grace. Two feet of snow landed in our neck of the woods over the weekend. Churches were closed on Sunday and schools were closed today along with practices. I had only two clients this morning because of the school closings and I left early for the day. There’s an acceptable quiet nature amidst the mad flurry outside.

It’s stunning.

Glistening.

Breathtaking.

All of the weeds I failed to pick, the cracks in the driveway I haven’t fixed, and the toys in the backyard the kids forgot to put away.

It’s all covered in a clean, white, beautiful blanket of snow.

As I let our playful Labradoodle outside, I am taken away by the magnitude of the bright white covering the entire neighborhood and into the distance.

The sameness and goodness of it all.

She shared with me all of her mess. The many ways she self- sabotaged, the people she hurt and how shameful she felt…

God used this moment of truth to give her truth.

“When God looks at you He sees you clothed in white. He sees His perfect Son.”

She looked at me in confusion…

“But, I did ____ … and ____ …and I am still struggling with ____.

“I know. Grace doesn’t make any sense does it? It’s injustice and charity at its finest.”

She nodded.

God wants us to be obedient because He loves us and doesn’t want us to go through this life wasting away time getting ourselves in and out of trouble.

He wants to save us pain. He wants us to bear fruit.

His word is not meant to exclude us, it’s meant to protect and save us.

There is absolutely nothing that can separate you from the love of God that comes through Jesus. (Romans 8:39) There is also no condemnation through Christ. (Romans 8:1) NONE. No matter what you do, how hard to fall, or what you think or say. That part is certain. We are saved through faith alone. (Ephesians 2:8)

That’s why grace is so amazing.

We might read this and feel grace is unfair.

You mean to tell me a thief on a cross, a murderer, an adulteress, and a woman with 5 husbands could be saved by grace?

Yep.

If justice is what we want…it comes in the form of a humble living God who died for all of our sins, so that we could have it. He decided He’d just take care of all of it right then and there. It’s finished. If we are saved and trying to get justice here on earth, we are mistaken to what that looks like…

Thank you, God, because we’d all be in for it if this wasn’t the truth.

Not one of us is righteous in our own efforts. Notta one. Not me, not you, not anyone. We are all on even playing field. (Romans 3:10)

Friends, I write this to give you truth, hope and God’s peace. Whatever is on your mind, whatever you are struggling with, or however you view yourselves, please be reminded you are clothed in white in God’s eyes because of his grace and effort on the cross.

There isn’t a thing you did or can do to stain what you’re wearing. You’re His. You’re beautiful. You’re made for something more. Go live in His peace and allow His love to work through you to others.

Now, brothers and sisters, I want to remind you of the gospel I preached to you, which you received and on which you have taken your stand. ² By this gospel you are saved, if you hold firmly to the word I preached to you. Otherwise, you have believed in vain.
³ For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance^[a]: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, ⁴ that he was buried, that he was raisedon the third day according to the Scriptures, 

1 Corinthians 15:1-4 (The Gospel of Jesus)