This Bible GemLight was written some days after two major snow storms had ravaged the Eastern Shore of Maryland in early 2010. Our home has off street parking so there is a driveway running from the back of our house to the street. The property we have was once a farm consisting of a larger piece of property. The land at some point was subdivided and so there are two homes in back of us. One of my neighbors behind me has a truck, so we share use of my driveway.

There was a lot of shoveling to do after the first snow storm. I thought both my neighbor and I should have been wise and should have parked at the end of the driveway. So, when the second storm neared, I suggested we do that.

He parked in the driveway though, while I parked near the end of it. I edged our car to one side so he could get out better, but that meant I had to place my driver's side wheels off of the gravel an on to old snow.

The second storm came in its fury and once it was done I only had to shovel a small portion of my driveway. The remaining snow was easily driveable and there was not much trouble going and coming. However, when the snow melted, there was a problem. Now I had to navigate on mud. What a terrible mess! There are, of course, ruts on the edge of our front lawn now.

Then it struck me about a contrast we see in the Word of God. Mud, mire in the Word of God can make one think of the world system without Christ, a system where sins take their toll. In Psalm 69:2 we read, "I sink in deep mire, where there is no standing." Not only is there no standing, mud can make a great mess, and both of these points are true about sin.

However, God in his great holy, merciful love has done something about the situation. He calls to us in Isaiah 1:18, saying, "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."

And what God has done is to provide for the eradication of sin by the complete work of Christ upon the cross. This is where our sin and sin nature were placed upon Christ Who graciously took the punishment for them. It is up to us to surrender to God through Christ for our forgiveness and cleansing, and to receive Christ Himself within us.