God's Mercy On A Rainy Day

Yessss ... it's raining! There’s something cozy about a rainy day, right? Like, the world is all quiet (unless your office window faces Tuolumne Road), the air smells fresh, and you can just curl up with a cup of coffee (or tea, if you're feeling fancy) and let the drizzle soundtrack your thoughts. Sure, you might get soggy on the way to work, but who’s caring?

Speaking of Sunday (did you just go back through the first paragraph to see if I mention Sunday?? Nice transition, right?)...I’ve been loving this series on the book of Jonah. I mean, all of what we know about Jonah through these 4 chapters is relatable, right? Run away from God, get swallowed by a fish, then pray for deliverance – all in a day’s work. What really strikes me, though, is the mercy that shines through the whole story. God didn’t just give Jonah a “you blew it” lecture; He gave him another chance. And that mercy wasn’t just for Jonah, but for the people of Nineveh too. Talk about a second (or third or fourth) chance! If that isn’t a reminder that God’s mercy is far greater than our ability to mess things up, I don’t know what is.

As much as Jonah tried to avoid the whole “do what God says” thing, God’s mercy kept showing up like an uninvited guest who’s just there to love on you. In a world where we’re all running in different directions—away from responsibilities, commitments, or even just our own flaws and mistakes—it’s good to know that God isn’t up there keeping score. He’s all about offering grace, even when we think we’ve messed it all up. The fact that He let Jonah get another shot at it is a reminder that we’re never too far gone for His love to reach us.

So, here’s to rainy days that make us pause, to looking forward to the Sunday message as we continue in this Jonah series, and to remembering that God's mercy is as refreshing as a downpour in what has felt like a winter drought. Let’s all take a moment to enjoy the rain and the grace that pours out, no matter how far we’ve tried to run from it.