Sunday Service and Snow Cream

It was the early days of Covid, and we were all still trying to figure out how serious this pandemic was and how we (as a church) should respond. I remember calling the members to see what they thought was the best course of action. I called one man and he said, “Bro. Lewis, until we know more about this, we need to just cancel church for now.” I said okay, thanks for your thoughts, and ended the call. Then I contacted this man’s brother, (who is also a church member), to get his opinion. He said, “Bro. Lewis, don’t cancel anything, let the people who want to come, come.” Well, I hung up the phone, dropped my head, and said – Lord help me! You see, these men were the closest of brothers, and two of the most devoted and serious-minded Christians I have ever known. Yet, they came to the exact opposite conclusion as to what was the best course of action. I knew right then and there – that whatever decision is made; it will be wrong. 

Covid was hard on church leaders. Really hard. The constant pressure to make decisions was just overwhelming. Do we meet in-person or not? Masks or no masks? Do we insist on social-distancing or is it okay if Christians hug and shake hands? Each week, while you are prayerfully making these decisions, you already know, whatever is decided is going to divide the membership. Seriously, it was a long, long lose/lose situation. While our church never officially closed the doors, but remained open the whole time, most everyone quit coming for a while. But I knew, early on, when these two godly brothers saw things completely different, it was going to be impossible to please everyone. 

I said all that for this reason, this past Sunday was a similar experience. The weathermen warned us that inclement weather was coming. But, what should the church, and its leaders, do when this happens? Cancel services due to the potential danger of slick roads? Or, not cancel worship and let every church-goer simply decide for themselves what is best? Certainly, it is up to every congregation and their elders to decide what is best for them … but like the Covid era, no matter what one decides, someone else will be frustrated. One person says, “cancel – we can’t risk getting out in this weather.” Another person insists, “our forefathers rode in horse-drawn wagons, in weather far worse than this to attend church – how dare we cancel!” So again, it’s a lose/lose situation. 

Now, let me quickly say … I am blessed at Memorial Heights Baptist Church. While I am not naïve enough to believe everyone is (or was) happy with every decision made during these out-of-the-ordinary circumstances, thankfully the members have been both patient and supportive. So please, church member … be forgiving and forbearing if (and when) we pastors get it wrong. Faced with these impossible decisions, every church leader is trying to honor the Lord, obey Scripture, and safely shepherd God’s sheep. Yes, some of you will be frustrated, when we don’t do what you think we should, but please be patient. Pastors are finite men with finite knowledge striving to do what is best for all the Lord’s people. And yes, we get it wrong sometimes … but let love cover a multitude of failures (1 Peter 4:8). 

Right or wrong … we canceled our Sunday services. This uncommon opportunity gave me time to watch the snow fall. And fall it did. And … it was just beautiful! I think those were some of the biggest snowflakes I have ever seen! All that gorgeous white fluffy stuff falling from the sky brought back some warm memories of my childhood. 

Growing up in North Carolina, I can remember the jubilation of seeing the name of our school system scroll across the bottom of the TV screen … Winston-Salem Forsyth County schools closed! That was answered prayer for us boys! No school! I can recall wearing layers of clothes and socks on my hands, and still freezing – but not caring! I remember sledding and snowball fights. I remember hunting and following deer tracks in the snow-covered ground. 

But perhaps my favorite memory was watching my mother make “Snow Cream.” I wonder how many of you reading this know what snow cream is? Or have eaten it? A simple thing, for sure. You take snow … clean snow of course, and add some milk, sugar, and vanilla flavoring … mix it all up and enjoy! At least that’s how momma always made it. It was a rare treat for us kids and we just loved it! I thought about snow cream a lot on Sunday … and momma. God rest her sweet soul! 

But like the godly folks they were, my parents used everyday things to teach Biblical truth. And here is the lesson they implanted in our young minds: the blood of Jesus can make you whiter than snow. As silly as it may sound, they taught us this truth by making snow cream. Here’s the thing … milk looks white, until you pour it in snow. Also, sugar looks white, until you mix it with snow. For real, both of these items look bright white … till you dump them in a bowl of clean snow, and then they look almost brown. 

The wonderful and eternal truth taught from a simple bowl of snow cream was this – we may look clean and bright, but in truth our sins make us dirty and dark. But, the blood of Jesus can wash us whiter than snow! Not whiter than sugar, not whiter than milk, but whiter than snow. Twice the Bible teaches this glorious truth. In Psalm 51:7 David said, “Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean; Wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.” Then in Isaiah 1:18 the prophet declares, “Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow.” 

Though we did not gather for corporate worship this past Lord’s Day, still my heart rejoiced that through faith in the shed blood of Jesus, my soul has been washed whiter than snow! A lesson I learned from snow cream, my parents, and God’s amazing grace! But, what about you? An old hymn asks this question; “Would you be whiter, much whiter than snow?” If so, here’s how – “There’s power in the blood, power in the blood.” Friend, trust in Christ today and though your sins have darkened your soul, you can be made whiter than snow!