As a family, we typically pray for things of eternal value, but occasionally we grovel down in the “bless me” range like anyone else. It was Christmas time, and we had reason to be in the States for Ministry work. Our children were convinced that America is blanketed with snow all winter long. They were most disappointed to be told otherwise. And the area we were visiting rarely gets snow ever. You could see the excitement evaporate from their precious eyes. It seemed they were destined to never see snow as children. It’s incredibly trivial, if not ridiculous, in the scheme of things. But especially when contrasted to the destitute slums and dire circumstances in which the Ministry serves. That being said, we saw a perfect opportunity to teach our children about the difference between “Needs” and “Wants.”

God promised to take care of our Needs. He never promised to take care of Wants. We need to continually sort, sift and separate the two... lest we begin to think God has reneged on His Promises. The popular prosperity pimps have tangled the two...much to the spiritual peril of many. People begin to feel cheated by God, all the while taking His Word out of Context. It doesn’t take much to begin treating God like some sort of Santa Claus. With a bag full of presents for every good boy and girl. Just behave, make a wish and in short time, your stocking will be overflowing with trinkets and toys of every delight. We may not describe it quite that way, but it’s not far from the mark in reality.

So we taught the Principle, realigned our children’s Perspectives, and then moved onto Preference. We “preferred” that there be snow on Christmas day. And so we prayed: “Heavenly Father, we present this request for Snow on Christmas Day.” And then set off on a careful balance of childish expectation and sober probability. Isn’t that how we do it? We present the impossible to God, but we manage our expectations in case He decides to “do” the more needful, practical thing. At least, that’s the way Marcia and I (and most adults) do it. Thank God, our children would have none of it!

For the next few days, they talked about our upcoming trip. They told their friends in Nairobi that they would be seeing snow on Christmas break. They couldn’t imagine otherwise, no matter how much we tried to temper their: enthusiasm with practical probability. And of course, you know what happened. It snowed on Christmas Day! And after a few days of first time winter fun, it snowed again just before we returned to Nairobi. God had done the impossible. A double snow. A wish fulfilled. Above and beyond, as only God can do.

Sometimes we get so caught up in the seriousness of things of eternal significance, we overlook the pleasures of God in the present. God is not postponing His pleasure with His people. He is beyond time. He enjoys us now. He will enjoy us for eternity. He has always enjoyed us. What separates us from His pleasure is not timing, it is not location, it is not seasons. It is one thing: Sin.

Sin is something people don’t like talking about. Especially at Christmas time. It’s a topic that puts a damper on any conversation. But talk about a “Christmas snow” from your childhood, and everyone wants to hear the story! Let me suggest, God links them together quite well.

Snow is from God. Sin is from mankind. God owns the Storehouse of Snow. (He won’t run out of snow due to some purported Climate Change.) Mankind owns the Storehouse of Sin. We won’t run out of them either. God says, let’s reason this one out: I, God, can remove that stain of Sin completely. You cannot do it yourself. Your good works, your religious practices, your “sacraments”, your saints, your good intents, your prayers, your offerings, your candles and piety will not suffice. They won’t even make a dent in the stain of your violations of Me. Your future holiness will not offset your previous imperfections. I alone can close the gap, repair the breach and open the Door to an unsullied, unblemished, renewed relationship between you and Me. I am pleased to do that for you. But you will have to open the Gift. I won’t force it on you. I leave it on the doorstep. I knock. And I wait for you.

Imagine our Sin outside the door. We try to hide from it. We run inside our little “house”, shut the door tightly and remove it from our eyes. But every time we open the door, we see it. It’s right at the doorstep.

But God so loves us that He sent His beloved Son, Jesus the Christ, to save us from that lurking insidious sin. We remember and revere His birth at Christmas time. But have we left the Gift unopened? He is the Gift, He is the Door, He is the One knocking.

We, as a family, and the Pastors of the Least, beckon you to answer His knock. Open the Door. Outside you will no longer find Sin lurking at your door. You will find Him. And behind Him...a beautiful blanket of eternal Snow. Covering all the dirt, all the grime, all the mistakes, all the
disappointments. All the Sins you committed. And all those committed against you. They’re covered. They gone. As David himself proclaimed regarding his own terrible sin...

Jesus beckons us to come to hum as a child. Trusting utterly dependent, exuberantly expectant.

Like a child trusting it will Snow on Christmas Day. God can do that. He did it for me. He will do it for you.

As my children played in the snow for hours on end every day, they would gradually realize it was getting late. The bright sunshine was sinking behind the trees. Even the whiteness of God’s snow appears dull, dreary and foreboding when shadows appear. Such does Sin in a Christian’s life. If we are not vigilant, that beautiful blanket of purity can deteriorate into dirty, dangerous pools of slush and slim. Once the Light of Christ has come into your life, then keep.it high, bright and shining...on everything...and everyone.

Like an eternal Christmas snow...that brings God great pleasure