The weather started as a yucky rain some time during the night. When we got up and looked out, there were mudpuddles everywhere. But throughout the morning the rain switched over to ice and then snow. It was beautiful. There were these huge white flakes falling and a thin dusting beginning to cover our yard. As more snow fell, more and more of the imperfections of our yard began to disappear. As I watched our brown dank yard turn to a winter wonderland once again, I heard God speak.
"My love covers sin."
God was bringing to mind a verse that I have heard many times, not only in church, but in the world around me. Funny how the devil does that, huh? He will take verses that are supposed to point us to God and instead distorts them to distract us from God's purpose in our lives.
In 1 Peter 4:8 says, "Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins."
Peter is actually quoting Proverbs when he makes this statement. Proverbs 10:12 might just sound familiar.
"Hatred stirs up conflict, but love covers over all wrongs."
I think that the meaning of this phrase has shifted to mean that one person can do whatever they want as long as the other person loves them, because "Love covers all manner of sin." But, that kind of sacrifice from a person does not take away someone else's sin. That's not our job. That's the job of Jesus. So when we use that phrase in a way to say that my sin is ok, because you love me, we are missing the point.
What those verses truly mean is that the love of God can cover all wrongs and sin. When we accept Jesus into our hearts as our personal savior, God covers over all the other stuff with the snow white love of the Father and the son.
I do believe that both Solomon and Peter would agree with me that people can do a lot to cover the sin of others. That doesn't mean that we ignore sin or even hide it from others, but rather use the love of God in us to help them and continue to love them as they walk away from their sin. That may be a journey that they have started, or one that they will walk through in the future. It also means that the love of God inside of us can help us to endure and continue to love even when we are hurt. We may be loving them from afar, but we can still love them and pray that God brings them out of their sin.
**disclaimer** I'm not saying to stay in a relationship of any kind that is hurtful, destructive, or abusive. If you or someone you know is ever in a situation like that, please seek help and safety.**
With God anything is possible. It is possible for sin to be washed away. It is possible for hurts to be healed. It is possible for hearts and relationships to be mended. But it cannot be done in our own strength. It has to be done with the love of God.
So, as I looked out at the snow and God gently nudged my heart I could see just how he can transform us. Just how he can cover our sin. Jesus. His sacrifice is what covers our sin. My sin is still there. But, God sees it no more. How? Because Jesus is acting like a filter in my life. When God looks at me, it looks at me through the filter of Jesus Christ and all he sees is snow white clean. No blemishes in my character, no flaws in my heart, and no sin in my life. Jesus does that.
The Bible talks over and over again about us being cleansed by the blood of Jesus. But I love the way that Isaiah 1:18 puts it,
"Come now, 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 become like wool."
This is God talking through Isaiah to his children in this verse about Jesus who was to come and save them. They didn't know who Jesus was yet. He hadn't come to the Earth, but God knew what was to come and how it would play out. Just like that snow was covering the mud and leaves and rocks in my yard, the love and sacrifice of Jesus covers over the sin in our lives if we ask him to save us from it. All we have to do is ask, and accept his priceless yet free gift of salvation.
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