by Helen Jesze 29th November 2024
“Come now, and let us reason together, saith the Lord: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool.” Isaiah 1:18 KJV
Two weeks ago, there was quite a heavy fall of snow in Nottingham area, where I live. Actually at the time, I was in Guildford, Surrey, where I had been staying for a few days with my brother, Douglas. He had just celebrated his 90th birthday, and we had a great time at the party on Saturday, then at another smaller one at his church on the Sunday. Relatives from abroad were there and it was difficult to find space in his living-room for all the cards from well-wishers, let alone the presents!
We strolled down Memory-Lane as we watched treasured photos of him and his late wife, Davina, and the children. On Sunday several church members came out to pray for Douglas and an encouraging prophetic word was given to him. I’m so happy to have him as my brother and thank God for this special relationship and for his life!
But as we drove home to Nottingham on Tuesday, the green landscape changed to white! Snow had unexpectedly fallen on Monday night. Schools and many places were closed and roads had to be cleared and made accessible. It was so good to arrive
safely home, turn on the heating, eat some hot food and have lots of warm drinks! I often thank the Lord for my home, for warmth and clothes, family and friends, food and a well-stocked store-cupboard and fridge; for money in the Bank … so many blessings. I cannot imagine what it must be like to be homeless and have to sleep on a freezing pavement, as so many people are doing. God is so good to us! Let us never take it for granted.
But what does all this have to do with “A Divine Exchange”?! The prophet Isaiah speaks to us in verse 18 of chapter 1, that in our own sinful state, our sins are like scarlet or crimson. Obviously in Bible times, this must have had a negative meaning. Today we might say that our hearts were ‘black’ or ‘dirty’ with sin. But Isaiah goes on to assure us that God will not leave us like that. He will make us “white as snow” or white “as wool”. We can exchange our black hearts for one that is born anew, washed in the Blood of the Lamb, Jesus Christ. We only need to turn away from our sin, repenting and ask Him to give us this Divine Exchange.
It is not enough to think our good works will save us, or give us a good standing in God’s eyes, for we read: “But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags …” Isaiah 64:6a KJV. We could never earn salvation, only our Saviour, the sinless One could procure it for us! I was 9 years old when I made this Divine Exchange. True, I might not have sinned a great deal at that time, robbed a Bank or done something which seemed very wrong, but it became clear to me one Sunday night at church, that I needed to ask this Saviour into my own life. So I did and He did, and has walked with me all the years since then! There is no better life, in this world and definitely not in the life to come – for eternity. So dear friends, when we look out at the crisp white snow, let us remember that verse, and if you have not already made this Divine Exchange, then I would encourage you, even urge you, to do it TODAY!
Sunday is the 1st December, the first Sunday in Advent, leading us up to Christmas, when we celebrate that Jesus left his throne in glory to come and live with us on Earth, and later to die on the cross of Calvary to make it possible for that Divine Exchange!
“Come now, and let us reason together, saith the Lord: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool.” Isaiah 1:18 KJV