snow white

It's relatively rare here in Southeastern Virginia to have snowfalls that accumulate several inches.  We had one such snow last night and now it is snowing again.  I wondered why snow is white when water is transparent.  Apparently the answer lies in two contradictory phenomena: order and disorder.  Snow is made of ice crystals that freeze together into snowflaces.  There is great symmetry in the snowflakes.  As the water molecules crystallize they form six-sided shapes that are infinitely varied depending on temperature and humidity.  However, the snowflakes are thrown together rather chaotically as they stick together.  When light strikes this arrangement it is quickly scattered by the crystals and air pockets that make the snow.  As a result, no light is absorbed and all is reflected back as white light.  The whiteness of snow expresses purity...freshness...cleanness...a transforming blanket.  Tonight I am reminded that the chaos of my sin required the order of God's saving grace to reflect His light.

 

Mark 9:² Now after six days Jesus took Peter, James, and John, and led them up on a high mountain apart by themselves; and He was transfigured before them. ³ His clothes became shining, exceedingly white, like snow, such as no launderer on earth can whiten them.

 

Psalm 51:⁶ Behold, You desire truth in the inward parts,
         And in the hidden part You will make me to know wisdom. 
          ⁷ Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean;
         Wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.

 

Isaiah 1:¹⁸ " Come now, and let us reason together,"
      Says the LORD,

      " Though your sins are like scarlet,
      They shall be as white as snow;
      Though they are red like crimson,
      They shall be as wool.

blessings,

Rob Smith