Let It Snow

“As long as the earth endures, seedtime and harvest, cold and heat, summer and winter, day and night will never cease.”    —Genesis 8:22

I love the snow just about as much as I loved watching my favorite Pennsylvania football team, the Philadelphia Eagles, slide their way through cold and icy conditions to a win against Detroit and solidify their position in first place of the NFC Central division. Have you ever heard of sarcasm? Webster defines sarcasm as the use of words that mean the opposite of what you really want to say especially in order to insult someone, to show irritation, or to be funny. My celebration of the Eagles’ win is code for complaining against my beloved Pittsburgh Steelers for failing so miserably, again. Also, the older I get, the more I dislike the snow.

Unless you are into skiing, snowboarding, missing school, or plowing, you probably would agree with the guy I saw on the evening news who yelled into the camera, “I hate snow.” Actually, snow and ice have some good points most people do not usually consider. Winter weather speaks volumes about the goodness and faithfulness of God. Much of the water supply from the west coast comes from the spring runoff of the mountain snow from winter. When it snows, some folks literally thank God for supplying them with their next summer’s water supply.

In another way, all of creation: earth, sky, sea, and weather praise the Creator. Just as King David did in his early years as a shepherd, let us worship God by spending some extended time outdoors and observing God’s beautiful handiwork this winter. “I will lift up my eyes to the mountains; from where shall my help come? My help comes from the Lord, who made heaven and earth” (Psalm 121:1-2). David was not worshipping the mountains but the Creator of the mountains. May this winter’s beautiful scenes direct your gaze and worship heavenward.

Psalm 19 celebrates the way God’s glory is declared by His creation. “The heavens are telling of the glory of God; and their expanse is declaring the work of His hands.” Immediately after the destruction of the earth with the Flood in Noah’s time, God promised to never destroy the earth again with water. “As long as the earth endures, seedtime and harvest, cold and heat, summer and winter, day and night will never cease” (Genesis 8:22). Each change of the seasons, each snow storm in winter, rain shower in the spring, hot dry winds of summer, and cool frosty mornings of the fall declare God’s faithfulness. Every time it snows in the wintertime, God is keeping His promise to bring a change of seasons and not destroy the earth again until the final judgment. Notice the opening words of Genesis 8:22, “As long as the earth endures.” There is coming a day when the earth will be destroyed and made new at the end of the age. Until that time, each winter snowstorm declares God’s goodness. Praise the Lord for snow.

The snow comes; schools are canceled; snow blowers and shovels are pressed into service; and many voices are heard to mutter curses to God and the weather. May that not be you or me. Let us praise the Lord for snow. Let us rejoice in God’s promises and for the change of seasons. Let us lift our voices to God in song, and sing that familiar winter carol, “Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow.” Praise the Lord and pass the shovel; here it comes again.