White as Snow

 January 26, 2026

Matthew 28:3

 “His appearance was like lightning, and his clothing white as snow.” 

Fresh snow has a way of stopping us for a moment. Maybe that happened for you yesterday. You look out, and everything feels quieter, brighter, clean, untouched. It’s interesting that the Bible uses snow to help us understand something about God’s holiness. Not because God is cold or far away, but because God’s purity is so clear and so radiant that it stands out from everything else around it.

At its core, holiness means “set apart,” but not in the sense of distant or untouchable. In the Bible, God is holy because God is wholly other, pure, faithful, life-giving, and unlike anything corrupted or broken. God’s holiness is the radiant goodness of who God is, that calls us into a deeper life.

Our verse above is a resurrection text. At the empty tomb, the angel appeared, blazing like lightning and dressed in clothes as white as snow, signaling that something profoundly holy had entered the world. We find that this holiness doesn’t hide; it moves into action. It rolls stones aside. It speaks peace into fear. It proclaims resurrection.

I believe the Bible shows us that God’s holiness isn’t meant to push us away but to draw us into life. The same God whose glory sparkles like fresh snow is the one who stepped into death and broke it from within. His holiness isn’t fragile, it’s strong, welcoming, and full of life. When we come face-to-face with the Holiness of God, we’re not crushed or destroyed; we are awakened.

In the Gospels, holiness takes on flesh. In Jesus, God’s holiness no longer "stays behind curtains" it moves toward people. Jesus touches lepers. He eats with tax collectors and sinners. He forgives the repentant and shame-filled.

And here’s the stunning thing: instead of Jesus becoming unclean, the unclean are made whole. That tells us something profound about holiness. God’s holiness is not threatened by brokenness. It overcomes it. In Jesus, holiness doesn’t push people away, it pulls them back into life.

Let's Pray

Holy God, renew in us a sense of wonder at who You are. Let the radiance of Your presence warm our spirits and soften the places where fear has taken hold. Melt what keeps us distant. Remind us that Your holiness is not meant to intimidate us, but to draw us into deeper, fuller life with You. Amen.