An Experience of Nature- "A Cup-Sized Ocean"

I sat down earlier this week to listen to a mid-week podcast on redemption. The air was humid and the sky looked dazed–like it could start pouring rain at any moment. The sermon starts and it becomes hard to tell if the rain is going to hold off or not. And unfortunately, it did not-- the torrential downpour didn’t even start off as a drizzle or a sprinkle; no, the clouds literally just opened up as wide as they could. And as I’m looking out the window, not really paying attention to the speaker anymore, just amazed that the clouds could hold so much water for it just started pouring rain, I realized actually how perfect the timing of such an overwhelming rain came.

I think a lot of us, myself included, tend to approach confession or anytime we seek the Lord’s forgiveness like our own personal cup of water. We hold it nicely to show off our cool cup, but tightly enough so we don’t drop it. We can wash our hands with it if they get dirty, drink a little when we are thirsty, share some with others (but make sure they don’t drink it all), and in unfortunate cases we might trip and spill the whole thing. And when the day is done, we will stick our cup in the dishwasher only to wake up the next morning with a cup full of water spots.

And how often do I not even wash my hands with my cup of water, but only stick my finger in it to test the temperature and walk away?

I carry around the Lord’s grace and forgiveness with me everywhere I go, yet I’ve confined it to a cup that I can easily hold in my hand and in the end, will not hold enough water to fully hydrate me. But really, in order to actually carry around the Lord’s forgiveness I would need a personal torrential downpour that would always rain above my head–a never ending supply of fresh water all of my own. Find a friend that needs some of Jesus’ grace? Whip out your cup for them, fill it up, and refill it until they are no longer thirsty and still, the rain would not stop. 

If I approach the Lord’s forgiveness like the storm, why would I have the need to hold anything back. By the time the words left my mouth, the runoff water would be carrying them down the street and never dwelt upon again. And certainly, no water spots would be left behind for the whole world to see how much I needed the Lord’s grace. 

His grace drenches us and leaves us soaking wet from the inside out.