White as snow....

I have always loved the phrase "white as snow", but here in West Texas, we don't get much of that! I am sitting here typing watching the huge flakes fall to the already snow covered ground! I love it! As we drove to church this morning, I was in awe of the white covering all the surfaces. It was gorgeous! Such an awesome reminder that God, because of his huge sacrifice, washed me white as snow...my ugly inside that craves the world more than him most of the time, is beautiful white because Jesus left the comfort of heaven and walked this earth only to die for me....he did this knowing that I would mess up so many times, yet he did it anyway! My mind truly can't grasp a love so deep and full.

Our dear friend Mike Goeke spoke at church this morning. His sermon should be up on the website after Tuesday at www.stonegate.com. Check it out! He reminded us that God has given us a voice. As I contemplate being washed white as snow, I know I don't fully grasp that love because I don't use my voice enough! I don't share the hope of Christ with EVERY person I meet. I don't even share it with intimate people in my life that I know are hurting. I don't share because I am afraid....afraid they will reject my message, afraid they will think I am a freak, afraid I may not truly believe what I am saying so I shouldn't speak....yet Jesus, so afraid he sweat blood, yet he did it anyway. So should I! Mike reminded us that we don't need a government or a society to validate my Christianity. Laws may ban the 10 commandments, but they haven't stopped me from loving the cashier who checks out my groceries and sharing the love and hope of Christ with her. So why don't I? The stores that say "happy holidays" instead of "Merry Christmas" probably need Jesus the most, so why would I ban them when I the opportunity to enter them and spread the love of Jesus to anyone else I meet in that store?

So this week, I am looking for opportunities to share God's love to the people in my life....those I know intimately and those that He places in my path! I want everyone to know the hope of being washed white as snow no matter what lies underneath the layer of white!