What Can a Snow Silence Tell Us About Forgiveness?

Have you seen any snow yet this winter? Chances are if you live anywhere north of Florida you probably have. I know many people don’t like snow, but as an outdoor enthusiast I look forward to snow every winter.

Many things in the outdoors can give us insights into the attributes of God and snow is no exception. One morning on a Colorado ski slope, the falling snow gave me deeper insight into the forgiveness of God.

The night before, six or seven inches of fluffy white snow fell on the mountain. The snow continued to pile up as my wife Patti and I headed out the back door of the ski condo we rented. The fresh powder covered the ground we walked upon on the way to the ski lift. I believe there is no better morning to hit the slopes than a morning like this.

When we arrived at Copper Mountain’s American Flyer ski lift, it had just opened for the day. We saw only a few other early birds bordering the lift. We hopped on without any wait and headed up through the snow-covered pine forest. My wife and I enjoyed the beautiful ride up as the feathery flakes continued to fall.

We finished our ski lift climb up the mountain, glided off the lift, and decided to head down one of our favorite runs. We saw no one else on the slope, nor did we see any new trails in the fresh powder. As the first skiers to head down this trail, we went down alone.

We descended through the pine-lined slope slowly and eventually stopped to take a break. We paused and began to listen. A snowy silence filled the air, but it was what we didn’t hear that was so incredible. We heard nothing except the falling snow. The fresh powder on the ground and the snow in the air absorbed all other sounds.

Anyone who has taken a walk outside under falling snow has experienced this same snowy silence. Falling snow with snow on the ground muffles the sounds we hear creating an amazing quietness and clearness in the air.

The sound of a snowy silence reminds us of God’s forgiveness. Just as snow removes the sound, Christ removes our sin when we confess our sin. In the Bible 1 John 1:9 says, “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness (NASB).”

Just as snow absorbs sound, Christ absorbed the burden of our sin and took it to the cross. In the Bible, Second Corinthians says, “He made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him. (2 Corinthians 5:21 NASB)”

Let the quietness we find in snow serve as a reminder from God’s creation of what Christ has done for us.