Happy Friday church family!

I pray you are doing well – that this weekender finds you living in the peace and wholeness of God. I also pray that you’ve been able to get shoveled / plowed out and that you’re set for winter’s resurgence (we know that was just the first false spring last week). And I just need to give a shout out to Vernon for so diligently making sure our church is plowed out every time the snow falls. Thank you brother for serving our church family so well!

As much as I’d have been happy to keep the warmer weather, I love how the snow makes the land look so clean. Like love, snow covers over a multitude of sins! It was looking mighty muddy here at the farm – especially in the horse pasture near the barn. But now, all is white and clean again. But, unfortunately, we know the mess is still there – it’s just hidden. And in the end, it will be revealed.  

That’s different with Jesus. He doesn’t just cover our mess – our sin and wrong-doing – he actually purifies us – washes us clean. With Jesus’ payment of our sin-debt, when applied to our lives, we are then cleansed whiter than snow. It’s hard to imagine anything whiter than snow in the blinding sunlight – but that is our spiritual state as believers in Him. We have the righteousness – the right-standing – of Jesus Himself. And He washes us whiter than snow. Praise be to God!

-- In faith, Pastor Eric

 Cleanse me with hyssop, and I will be clean; wash me, and I will be whiter than snow. Let me hear joy and gladness; let the bones you have crushed rejoice. Hide your face from my sins and blot out all my iniquity. Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me. Do not cast me from your presence or take your Holy Spirit from me. Restore to me the joy of your salvation and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me. Psalm 51:7-12 NIV