Soaking in the Rain of Grace
by Heather Bock
I like to prayer walk in the mornings. Starting out on my walk, I ask God if He’d be willing to join me. I take my prayer cards with me–reminders of requests for which I regularly pray–but I also spend time just talking to God, thanking Him, crying out to Him, and asking for help.
One morning a few weeks ago, I couldn’t bear to bring up the requests on my cards. I barely knew what to say to Him except, “I’m sorry; I’m so sorry.”
Before I had been able to get out the door that morning, my oldest son had detained me, asking for help with his math. Much needed, summer math work in our home is review from the year, and this particular page was filled with problems we’ve gone over together many times with seemingly no progress: improper fractions. I had bordered on impatience the last time we had worked on it together, and probably the not-enough sleep, no breakfast, and a selfish desire to be out the door didn’t help this time.
I treated that poor boy with a lack of respect that probably made him feel less than smart–less than capable to take on improper fractions, in fact.
Finally finishing the page of offending numbers, I strode out that door into my time with God, my impatience instantly dropping to my feet, leaving me with only regret.
I made it around one block before I came back in to find my boy so I could apologize for my behavior and remind him how smart he truly is. My guilt, however, didn’t stop trailing along with me as I resumed my walk.
That was when the clouds let loose, and rain began to pour down on me, washing these words into my head:
“He causes His sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous.”
It’s funny how in our culture we often think this means He sends blessings and curses to all, as if the sun is good and the rain is bad. If it’s a sunny day, we say we’re having great weather, but a rainy day is gloomy or nasty. Think about it, though. In the time of the New Testament, many who would have heard these words would have been farmers or at least close enough to fields to have understood that without rain, crops will fail. Rain is just as much of a blessing as the sun is.
Rain is grace.
As I walked through the downpour, letting it drench me to the skin, I let the grace and forgiveness symbolized by the rain soak into my soul.
Did I deserve forgiveness for treating my son in an unkind way? No. Did I feel good about treating him that way, even after I asked for forgiveness from him and from God? Not at all. But I needed to believe in and accept God’s grace, freely given to the righteous and unrighteous.
God’s grace is available to you, too, for all levels of faults and failures. If it’s hard for you to accept it, I hope you’ll give those wrongdoings to Him and let the rain of His grace pour all over you, soaking you in His love.
Great insight, and a well-told story. A great reminder – packaged in good writing. Thanks!
Thank you!!!
Oh yes, I needed this today. Thanks for sharing this story. Rain is grace. All is grace!
Yes—sun, too! I always need grace!
What a great story! Rain, snow and sun – all are God’s grace. Our lives are full of grace, through the good and bad.
Yes, full of grace! I’m so thankful!
Who needs improper fractions anyway? Haha – just kidding – math used to bring out the worst in me on some homeschooling-mommy days, too!!! Thank goodness God’s mercies and forgiveness rain down on us often – sometimes in a comforting drizzle like so often happened when we lived in the Pacific Northwest and sometimes in a much-needed downpour like we tend to get here on a southeast-Georgia summer’s day! Thank you for the reminder!
I’m familiar with both of those kinds of rain, as I lived in Seattle, Tennessee, and now Texas, and I’m familiar with both kinds of rains of grace, too. So thankful for any kind!
“Rain is grace.” What a powerful statement, and it’s so true. I think that’s the exact phrase I needed to hear today. I was moved by your entire story, but those three words hit me right where I needed them. I guess that’s grace too. Thanks, Heather.
I’m so glad to hear that! That is my prayer when I write, that the words will impact someone, even if it’s just one. I’m thankful for grace!
Thank you for speaking truth and using this beautiful metaphor to remind of the abundant grace of God.
Thank you for commenting!
I had a flashback when I read your post; to a day I was doing pre-algebra with my oldest daughter. She was a hormonal teenager, I was hormonal old woman, and it ended with us both lying on the bathroom floor sobbing. I am thankful for God’s grace that got us through, and that we can now look back on that day and laugh about it!
Ha! I’m glad you can look back and laugh! I’ll be there someday, I hope!
Your story reminds me of so many of mine. Parenting is not easy! And your words about walking in the rain resonate deeply. I love the cleansing feel of raindrops. One of my most scared moments is a memory of walking in the rain at night, my hand in my husbands while our kids who had been fighting all day ran ahead of us laughing and being silly. It was most definitely a cleansing, restoring rain. It was a love note from God. Thanks for sharing.
Thank you for commenting, and thank you for that snapshot of your family in the rain—beautiful!
Good post. It’s necessary to ask for forgiveness, especially with our family. The rain does feel good and cleansing.
Thank you!