Forgiveness. It is always undeserved. No matter who receives it. No matter who gives it. Forgiveness is always a generous gift. Forgiveness restores. Forgiveness cleanses.

Max Lucado, in His devotional Just Like Jesus, likens Jesus’ washing the disciples’ feet to forgiveness…cleansing away the disciples’ sin of betraying Him, denying Him, abandoning Him before they even committed those sins.

It was raining as I prayed and journaled this morning. It had rained all night. It rained as I got ready for the day, as I packed a school lunch, as I made my family breakfast, as I saw them out the door. It rained as I sat alone reflecting on God’s Word. It rained constantly. That’s forgiveness — constant and continuing. Because of the cross there is a constant washing of the rain of forgiveness over me — undeserved — a gift. It cleanses away sin before I commit it…restoring me with God constantly. What a gift —a generous gift…that rain of forgiveness.

Who do you need to forgive? Who in your life is parched and thirsting for the gentle refreshing, restoring rain of forgiveness? Whose forgiveness do you need to accept? And have you accepted Jesus’ forgiveness? When you sit alone in your quiet place, can you hear the gentle rain of forgiveness falling all around you…cleansing away the guilt from when you denied or abandoned Jesus? The gentle rain of forgiveness…constant and continuing…what a generous gift…that gentle rain of forgiveness.