My grandson James loved the “idea” of playing in the snow recently. The trip quickly became a trap.

My wife and I have watched the video of our grandchild so often that we’re not sure how many of the 1000+ views on Facebook belong to us. Through our boundless delight and perpetual giggles at his innocent effort to trudge through the snow, we have come to realize that it contains a message “out of the mouths of babes” (Psalm 8:2a, New Revised Standard Version).

In Scripture, snow is an image of purification. The psalmist prays for forgiveness with the words: “wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow” (Psalm 51:7b, NRSV). The glistening, white blanket from heaven reminds us of God’s enveloping grace.

On the other end of the spectrum, the Biblical writers describe sin as a trap, a burdening encumbrance that  weighs us down (see Hebrews 12:1). Sin prohibits us from experiencing the fullness of life.

It would make sense that the cleansing snowfall of forgiveness should set us free from sin, giving us liberation to walk the path that God intends. Right?

But what does it mean to get stuck in the snow? Is it possible to become trapped in forgiveness? Can dependence on forgiveness create spiritual paralysis?

It happens often; we just don’t talk about it. We sin, and God forgives, and we sin again, and God forgives again. By His enduring grace, the cycle occurs over and over again. God always forgives; but if we never seek to change our behavior, we miss the deliverance He desires for us. If we never take steps toward a more Godly way, we stand in the exact same position to sin again as soon as the snow melts away. By staying where we are or wandering off on our own, we will end up right where we were.

Up to our knees in His mercy, it is easy to ignore that He wants us to follow Him out of the situations that lead us to sin.

“Let’s go”? or “I am stuck again”? Only one way leads to life.

He is gently guiding us: “Come with Dadda. Let’s go this way.”

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