Remnants

Our weather cannot make up its mind.
Instead of acting like February, it is acting more like late March or a chilly April.
One day the temperature is in the high 50s and the next day it is below freezing.
One day last week, only a light jacket was needed; the next day it snowed during the night.

One could get a crick in their neck trying to keep up with the fluctuating temperatures.
For those of us who actually enjoy winter, warm weather during these months is not appealing.
I enjoy four distinct seasons.
I appreciate their variety and look forward to each one.

This winter, any snowfall that we did get does not compare to other years.
Thus far, the winter has been very mild.
People sometimes wait for the other shoe to drop.
When is the real winter weather going to hit us?

On my morning walk I noticed an interesting thing.
Even though the snow from last week has melted, remnants of snow remain.
The remnants of snow are not on the roads for they have been plowed.
The remnants of snow are not on the grass because the temperatures got warmer.

The remnants of snow are all along the edge of the road.
There are lumps of snow and ice dotted here and there.
It almost reminded me of dumplings that a woman may put on top of her soup.
Little clumps of snow and ice were holding on reminding me of what was and what will be.

The snow plows came last week when it snowed.
Neighbors shoveled their walkways.
The snow is essentially gone everywhere else.
However, it lingers on the side of the road.

I order my favorite tea from Ireland.
The tea bags are square in shape.
The teabags do not have any string attached to them.
The tea bags are neatly stacked in the box in pairs.

I have to pull apart each pair before putting the teabags into the tin.
After I am done that somewhat tedious job, I wipe the kitchen island.
Later, if I run my hand across the island, I can feel a light dusting of tea.
Even though I cleaned the area after I separated the teabags, remnants of tea remain.

When my sons were both living at home, my oldest daughter cut their hair.
They each wear their hair very short against their head.
Clippers were bought and she would quickly cut their hair, one after the other.
Even though their neck was brushed, remnants of hair remained.

They each would get a shower in one of our bathrooms after their haircut.
Their neck was brushed off with a towel but not good enough.
My daughter would use my husband’s vacuum in the basement to get any hair on the floor.
Remnants always remained.

Whenever I clean windows, no matter how thoroughly I clean them, the sunlight betrays me.
The sunlight will show any area I missed.
The sunlight will show any streaks I left behind.
Remnants of dirt on my windows remains no matter how good I cleaned them.

Remnants can be annoying.
Whenever we think we did a good job, something always betrays us.
Hair remains on the nape of our neck and tea lingers on the kitchen island.
Snow fails to melt even after we shovel and dirt stays on the window we thought we cleaned.

Adam lay with his wife Eve, and she became pregnant and gave birth to Cain. With the help of the LORD, I have brought forth a man. Later, she gave birth to his brother Abel. Now Abel kept flocks and Cain brought some of the fruits of the soil as an offering to the LORD. But Abel brought fat portions from some of the firstborn of his flock. The LORD looked with favor on Abel and his offering, but on Cain and his offering he did not look with favor. So Cain was very angry, and his face was downcast. Then the LORD said to Cain, “Why are you angry? Why is your face downcast? If you do what is right, will you not be accepted? But if you do not do what is right, sin is crouching at your door; it desires to have you, but you must master it.” Now Cain said to his brother, Abel, “Let’s go out to the field.” And while they were in the field, Cain attacked his brother Abel and killed him. Then the LORD said to Cain, “Where is your brother, Abel?” “I don’t know,” he replied, “Am I my brother’s keeper?” The LORD said, “What have you done? Listen! Your brother’s blood cries out to Me from the ground.” (Genesis 4: 1-10)

Remnants.
Sin that we think we can hide is never hidden.
Sin that we thought we so thoroughly swept under the rug, peaks out from a corner.
Remnants remain.

But God, through His Son, Jesus, deals with our sin.
The sinless Lamb of God died in our place.
His blood covers us when we come to Him in faith.
His blood saves completely.

The blood of bulls and goats in the Old Testament was never enough.
Over and over, sacrifices had to be offered for sin.
The blood of bulls and goats does not save.
Only the blood of the spotless Lamb of God, our Lord Jesus, saves completely.

No remnant of sin remains.
No condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.
Washed clean; white as snow.
Glorious!