Lovers of the Snow
Most everyone likes the beauty of snow and the way it covers unpleasant spots. Children like to play in it, and older ones on toboggans or skis also enjoy it. Snowcapped hills and mountains are beautiful subjects for photographs. Then, too, deep snow deposits on mountain peaks and slopes are a wonderful provision of the Creator to replenish fresh water in rivers, lakes and reservoirs during hot summer months.
Most people prefer not to stay outdoors during snowstorms, but there are, creatures for whom the Lord God has given snow a special importance. Polar bears in their white coats are well camouflaged on snow and ice and can sneak up on unsuspecting prey without being seen. The same is true of white foxes in the Arctic areas.
In some places where snow becomes very deep, activities go on beneath the surface that are never seen from above. Field mice, ground squirrels, porcupines and even some birds make tunnels along the ground leading to their feeding areas, without the threat of being caught by their enemies. Working in groups several feet below the surface, they sometimes push and press down on the bottom layer of snow, making a cozy place for being together in warmth and safety.
Then there are animals and birds of various sizes for which the Creator has provided white coats in winter. If they become aware of an enemy nearby, they lie down or curl up in the snow and are never seen. Weasels and Arctic hares are examples of this. Even big snowy owls have been given white feathers for winter. The wide-winged pure-white snowy petrel, a sea bird of Antarctica, also benefits from its coloring.
Other birds and animals are temporarily provided with special feathers or fur on their feet for winter. These feathers or fur act like snowshoes so they can easily travel over the surface. Fur and feathers of other creatures do not change in color, but they are given extra-warm winter coats. Ruffed grouse, threatened by an enemy, will plunge into a snowbank and, completely hidden, remain there until danger is past.
Other animals benefitting from snow are deer, elk and moose. Deep crusty snow enables them to reach higher for tasty tree branches that they could not reach in summer.
In the sight of God, our sins stand out as bright as scarlet, but He invites us to become white as snow in His sight, by admitting ourselves as sinners and accepting the Lord Jesus as our Saviour. If we do this we become His children and are assured of a home in heaven. The Bible tells us to do this now— “Behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation.” 2 Corinthians 6:22(For he saith, I have heard thee in a time accepted, and in the day of salvation have I succored thee: behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation.) (2 Corinthians 6:2).
ML 12/16/1990