Treasures Of The Snow

Treasures of the Snow

Chuck Sligh

December 27, 2020

A 3-slide PowerPoint presentation of this message is available by emailing me at chucksligh@hotmail.com.

TEXT: Job 38:22 – “Hast thou entered into the treasures of the snow? Or hast thou seen the treasures of the hail,”

INTRODUCTION

All children—and children at heart—love snow. Remember when you were a kid and the first snow would come? Remember getting the day off from school for snow and how exciting that was?— making a snowman with your mom or dad?—Having snowball fights?

Illus. – When I was a kid, I recall having massive, wonderful snowball battles. When we lived in Tennessee in the 1960s, the El Niño weather pattern was such that we got a lot more snow in those years than they do now. We had several big snows the several years I lived in Smyrna, Tennessee. And I remember that when we did, all the kids in the neighborhood would make bunkers and forts out of snow on opposing sides and we would divide up into two soldier sides (you ladies are not going to understand this at ALL!)… Then we’d make big piles of snowballs and get ready for battle… And then suddenly, out of nowhere, the first snowball bomb would come crashing in from the enemy’s side.… “Incoming! Incoming!” we yelled frantically.—“Man your battle stations!” (They probably only say that in the Navy, but we didn’t know better!)… Then we’d gather all the snowballs we could hold in one arm and yell, “CHARGE!”—and we’d run towards the enemy throwing snowballs as fast as we could, all the while getting splattered ourselves! Man!—Those were the days!

Yes, children love snow—but even old fogeys like me still like the snow even today. We may not like to stay out in it for too long; we may leave the snowmen for our youngsters to build; we may not willingly jump into the fray of a full-blown snow battle; and maybe three or four flights down the hill on the sled are good enough for us these days; but we still love the snow.

Our text talks about “treasures in the snow.” I got to thinking about that. How appropriate at this time of year! We were all dreaming of a white Christmas, but we didn’t get one this year! Maybe we’ll have better luck next Christmas.

Well, as we embark on 2012, I want you to think about a few things today, and the vehicle I want to use to spur your thinking is snow. A field of new snow is fascinating. It’s exciting to be the one who breaks the first trail in a new blanket of snow. By the end of the day, there are many trails going off in different directions.

You know, each new year of your life is like a pristine field of freshly fallen snow. You stand poised on the edge, ready to step out into it. As you do so, I want you to consider the following four truths:

I. FIRST, NOTE THAT YOU WILL DETERMINE YOUR OWN COURSE.

If you were to embark on a little hike in a field of new-fallen snow, you’d have to decide which way to go, and YOU would be responsible for the direction you took. And as you begin 2012, it’s YOU who will decide the course you’ll take, and YOU will be the one who’ll answer for the decisions you make.

The Bible tells us of a man named Joshua who came to a “new time” in his life. After forty years wandering in the wilderness, followed by intense battles as they entered the Promised Land, Joshua and the Israelites were ready to claim their land. Before they did, Joshua made the rest of the people to understand that they had a choice to make. While in Egypt, many Israelites had fallen into idolatry, and as they entered the land of the Amorites, Joshua knew that they might again be enticed into idolatry of the gods of the Amorites. As they launched out to claim their land of promise, they had to choose the road they would travel, and ultimately live with the consequences. Listen to what Joshua said in Joshua 24:15: “…choose you this day whom ye will serve; whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the flood, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell: but as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD.”

You, dear friend, have a similar choice to make. You have to decide whether you’ll serve God or the gods of this world.

What are the gods of this world?—They’re the gods of materialism, pleasure, immorality, selfishness, and covetousness and self-centeredness. Ultimately, though, you have a choice between God and your own will. And whatever choice you make, you must account for it on the Day of Judgment. Paul warns us in Romans 14:12, “So then every one of us shall give account of himself to God.” And Hebrews 9:27 says, “…it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment.”