God’s Forgiveness: Shielded In the Storm by Sarah de Orlando
“In this is love, not that we have loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins” (1 John 4:10).
The rain came down in buckets. I couldn’t stay dry. Splatter from the puddles stained my white pants as I walked along the path. “It wasn’t supposed to rain today,” I thought, scowling. But regardless of the weather report, the clouds opened up with fierce rain and wind, whipping the trees around me.
The total weight of a downpour is too much to endure. No one can stand without getting drenched and splattered by the mud.
It’s kind of like our brokenness. While it’s easy to believe that we have both “good” and “bad” parts of ourselves, the truth is that brokenness is woven throughout us, splattering everything.
Sin. It’s a word I often skirt around instead of addressing head-on. But it wreaks havoc on our souls, those around us, and the generations before and after us. You didn’t start the sin cycle, nor did I, but we’re trapped in its torrential storm. The brokenness was instilled at birth, as evidenced by David’s laments to the Lord: “Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity” (Psalm 51:5). But thankfully, we don’t have to stay there. After Jesus’ death and resurrection, Paul writes, “For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Romans 6:23).
The Lord isn’t surprised that we can’t fix our sin by vowing to stay away from temptation. No, we need something much greater than willpower. We need Jesus. The only way we find lasting protection from sin is by receiving the grace of Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross. David clings to this hope as he continues in Psalm 51: “you delight in truth in the inward being, and you teach me wisdom in the secret heart”(Psalm 51:6).
Jesus longs to reveal himself and free us from sin. His love and sacrifice take us out of the storm and shield us from the downpour. He is our hope, our propitiation, as 1 John 4:10 says, which means he became the punishment for our sins. He took the wrath of the Lord’s holiness, the downpour of consequences our sin deserves. Jesus is the perfect covering from the pounding rain and gives us right standing before a loving and holy God.
Will sin still affect our everyday lives after we receive Jesus’ forgiveness? Yes–but there’s hope. We may still feel the wind and the sideways rain through struggles around us, but they won’t destroy us.
So let’s cling to this truth: Jesus’ rays of light pierce through our darkest storms. By receiving Jesus’ total forgiveness for our sins, we can reciprocate it to others, even those who have deeply wounded us. We reflect God’s light—the break in the clouds on a stormy day—by clinging to our new identity: dearly loved and forgiven.
Prayer: Heavenly Father, I am in awe of your love shown by Jesus’ work on the cross. Forgive me for trying to earn your forgiveness; it is a fruitless pursuit. Give me a repentant heart to receive Jesus as my propitiation and radiate the love you have lavished on me. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
Dig Deeper: Psalm 51 and 1 John 4
Discussion Questions:
1. What part of your heart do you need to release to the Lord and receive his forgiveness in Christ?
2. How can you remember Jesus’ propitiation and shine today?
about sarah de orlando
Sarah de Orlando is an author, speaker, and the Chief-Hope-Giver of Sarah de Orlando Coaching. She bravely left her engineering career after an encounter with Jesus in Poland revealed her true purpose: to live rooted in Jesus’ love and lavish it on others. Sarah’s passion is to coach women to discover and live out their vibrant journey with him. Sarah and her husband, Andrés, have one adorable daughter. You can find Sarah hiking through forests or beachcombing for sea glass in her downtime. She released her debut memoir, Love Letters from Poland, in 2021. Follow her on Instagram @sarahdeorlando.
