Snow Day 12-2-2025

Photo by Aaron Burden on Unsplash

As a child, there were no better two words in the English language. Snow day. This morning, I am sitting at my desk, enjoying a cup of mushroom coffee and looking out at all the white on the ground. School has been canceled, the church building is closed, and I have already completed the first official shoveling of the season. Usually, this is January life in Ohio, but it all arrived early this year.

Snow days still feel exciting. As a child, I remember staying up far too late or waking up painfully early to see if school had been canceled. Before the internet and smartphones, we had to turn on the local news and wait for the long banner across the bottom of the screen to scroll through hundreds of schools, daycares, and churches. Now we get a text or a Remind message, and the waiting game is gone.

Regardless of the method, a snow day feels like an impromptu holiday. My wife is taking the opportunity to finish decorating and wrap gifts. And even as I write, my gaze keeps drifting toward the window. There is simply nothing like fresh snow. I do not want to see it while driving, but I love seeing it in my yard, resting on tree branches and rooftops like frosting on a cake.

The Bible does not often mention snow. When we picture biblical stories, the backdrop often feels hot, dry, and Mediterranean. Yet it does snow in Israel, mainly in certain regions. It is nothing like Ohio; it's more like the occasional surprise that visits states like Georgia.

Still, when Scripture speaks of snow, it carries weight.

Photo by Simon Berger

1. On a Snow Day, know that God is in control.

In the book of Job, snow becomes a reminder of God’s power and wonder. In chapter 37, Job is encouraged to “stop and consider the wonderful miracles of God” (v. 14). Snow days make us stop. Our routines are disrupted, and we are graced with a pause. Today, I want to stop and reflect on what God may wish to teach me in the snowfall.

Job continues, “He directs the snow to fall on the earth… Everyone stops working at such a time so they can recognize his power” (37:6–7, NLT).

The next chapter deepens the theme. Job has been wrestling with suffering, evil, and the hard questions of life. God eventually responds, reminding Job that nothing happens outside of His knowledge or care. The picture He offers is striking: “Have you entered the storehouses of the snow, or have you seen the storehouses of the hail?” (38:22). Even the snow that falls today is not random. It lies within God’s sovereignty.

2. On a Snow Day, know that you are forgiven.

Snow also reminds us of forgiveness. When God forgives us, He cleanses us. He makes us “white as snow.”

Isaiah 1:18 says, “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.”

Psalm 51:7 echoes the theme: “Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean; wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.”

When I look outside, everything appears clean, quiet, and calm. Soon enough, the neighborhood will erupt with snowblowers and plow trucks. But for a moment, think about everything you have done—everything recent and everything long past—covered and cleansed by the grace of God, just as the snow covers the hillside.

Photo by hannah grace on Unsplash

3. On a Snow Day, think of seeing Jesus.

Snow can even serve as a reminder of the day we long for as believers: the day we see Jesus face to face. For some, that thought may cause uncertainty, but for the follower of Christ, it is the hope of all hopes. Scripture often uses snow to describe the brilliance of Christ’s appearance.

• “His appearance was like lightning, and his clothing was white as snow.” (Matthew 28:3)

• “As I looked, thrones were placed, and the Ancient of Days took his seat; his clothing was white as snow, and the hair of his head like pure wool.” (Daniel 7:9)

• “The hairs of his head were white, like white wool, like snow. His eyes were like a flame of fire.” (Revelation 1:14)

One day, we will experience a snow day like no other. It will disrupt us, overwhelm us, and fill us with beauty all at once. If we delight in the simple beauty of a December snowfall, then we have not seen anything yet.

Prayer

Oh Lord, we thank you for the snow today. You control all your creations, including me, the church, and everything that will take place. Everything that happens today, and everything that has been canceled, remains in your hands. You balance the storehouses of snow with perfection and skill, and we stand in awe. Please help me recognize you in your creation and in your work in my life. Thank you for the forgiveness you have granted, and for the cleansing that only you can provide. We live in today, but we long for the day when we shall see you as well. Amen.