By: Ptr. Gen Concepcion
I love walking in the mornings with our dog, Delbert. Sometimes we go out early enough that the park and tree-lined neighborhood are completely silent—just me, my dog, and my thoughts. I treasure those quiet, peaceful moments.
This morning felt especially dreamy. Snow had fallen all night, covering everything in a pristine white blanket. Shrubs, trees, and sidewalks were coated in soft white powder, and more flakes were still falling down. It looked like a scene from Narnia.
As I walked through the fresh snow, Isaiah 1:18 came to mind:
“Come now, and let us reason together,” says the Lord. “Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow…”
Had I never seen untouched snow, I don’t think I would fully grasp the beauty of that verse. Fresh snow hides every imperfection—debris, unmowed grass, messy yards—leaving behind a flawless, glistening landscape.
Sin, however, is more than imperfection. It stains deeply, leaving the soul marred in ways we can’t cleanse on our own. Only God can remove that deeply seated stain. Yet He is perfectly holy and just—He cannot ignore sin and let it go unpunished. He loves us, but His love does not negate His righteousness.
Romans 5:8 tells us, “But God demonstrates His own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” Knowing that we cannot do anything to remove our own sins, God gave His only Son, who came to earth that first Christmas, lived a human life, died, and rose again—conquering death and breaking sin’s power.
All we must do is believe in Him, acknowledge Him as our Savior, repent, and be baptized. Then our sins truly are covered. We call that justification – as if we never sinned in the eyes of God.
“Blessed are those whose transgressions are forgiven, whose sins are covered. Blessed is the one whose sin the Lord will never count against them,” Romans 4:7–8
This Christmas, may we remember how blessed we are to have been washed clean—made as white as snow. And when we stumble, as we inevitably will until we are fully transformed in rapture, we can always come back to Him in repentance, just as He invited Israel in Isaiah 1:18. He forgives the lowly, the humble, the broken. “In repentance and rest is your salvation. In quietness and trust is your strength,” Isaiah 30:15.
No matter what gifts sit under the tree, the forgiveness of our sins remains the greatest gift we have ever received. Christmas reminds us to keep a humble, repentant heart, for “a broken and contrite spirit He will not despise.”
Reflection: Close your eyes. Imagine Christ covering you over so that you’re protected from the fiery arrows of sin and condemnation. Now, sincerely utter a heartfelt prayer, thanking God for His blanket of grace.
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