SEARCHLIGHT
Have you realized how many second chances you have been given?
SCRIPTURE
Then the word of the Lord came to Jonah a second time: “Go to the great city of Nineveh and proclaim to it the message I give you.” Jonah obeyed the word of the Lord and went to Nineveh. Jonah 3:1-3b NIV
SPOTLIGHT
I couldn’t believe it. The statistic was glaring. One in three adults in the United States has a criminal record. This hinders them in getting an education, job, housing, and many other things that are necessary to lead a meaningful life. The “second prison” is a term which describes what prisoners will face when they are released. They have to overcome more than 48,000 legal restrictions and social stigma. This is why Prison Fellowship began Second Chance Month in 2017. It is held each April.
Have you ever been given a second chance? Most definitely! When you are late for an appointment, you probably were given a second chance. Can you remember being stopped by a policeman because your taillight was burned out. He may have given you a warning which was a second chance. Sometimes a teacher will allow a student to resubmit a paper. That was a second chance. Maybe you do not realize that when you survived a life-threatening illness you were given a second chance. God gave you a second chance to influence people to trust God.
WHEN YOU ARE GIVEN A SECOND CHANCE you are given a GIFT. It is undeserved. Some people believe that every person deserves a second chance. A judge does not have to eliminate the penalty when someone breaks the law. Why? The person has done nothing to merit it. In fact, he or she has done the opposite. But it may be argued that the mess up was just an accident. Maybe so. That just underscores that being given a second chance is truly a gift.
Jonah fled from doing God’s will and even tried to flee from God. Read his story in the book named after him. He just did not want to do what God wanted him to do. Everyday people implicitly do the same. They know how God wants them to live but they ignore Him and pretend He doesn’t know what is going on. In response to Jonah’s disobedience, God gave him a second chance. Today’s Scripture focus identifies that.
God is the God of second chances. Many people will not give others a second chance. They say, “You hurt me. That’s it. I’m gone.” There is no forgiveness. However, the good news is that God never writes you off. If you had a near-death experience, God gave you a second chance to make the most of your life. When you wandered away from honoring God, He called you back, just like Jonah, to give you a second chance. Because of God’s love, you should not write yourself off. God’s second chance provides for your forgiveness, cleansing, and restoration.
Never forget it. When your boss says, “I should fire you, but I am going to give you a second chance,” be assured you have just been handed a gift. When Jesus hung on the cross, God the Father gave you the gift of salvation and eternal life. God is the God of second chances.
WHEN YOU ARE GIVEN A SECOND CHANCE you are given an OPPORTUNITY to change. This is your invitation to turn away from what is wrong and turn toward what is right. Being given a second chance is not a license to keep on doing what you did. It is not a “Get me out of jail” card or a “Get me off the hook” so that you can return to your error. You have been given the opportunity to grow beyond your past failures. God does not give you grace and mercy in order for you to just go out and sin again.
When God gave Jonah his second chance, the prophet seized the opportunity to change. That is repentance. He decided to honor God by going to Nineveh to preach.
There are numerous examples of Bible characters being given a second chance. Moses killed a man. Jacob’s name means deceiver. David committed adultery, lied, and had someone killed. Naomi made poor decisions which led to her becoming bitter. Jesus came to the rescue of the woman who was caught in adultery. The Prodigal Son wasted his life and money. Peter denied knowing Jesus. Before Saul became Paul, he killed Christians. What does this prove? Because God gave these people a second chance, you can be certain He will give you a second chance.
And more chances, if needed. God does not stop offering forgiveness after the second chance.
You may struggle with something in your life that is displeasing to God. Probably that same thing is causing havoc in your personal relationships. Being given a second chance is your privilege to ask God for the power to completely change. Do not forget! Your second chance is not an invitation to sin again. When He forgives you and gives you that opportunity to start afresh, He is expecting you to commit your will to change. God is inviting you to begin a new way of living which will take you away from your past. When you ask Him, He will empower you to make the most of your second chance opportunity.
Who needs a second chance? I know I do. And so do you! Thank God for His mercy. It is abundant and new every morning. Being given a second chance by God is being given:
- forgiveness for yesterday,
- a new beginning for today, and
- hope for tomorrow.
SOMETHING TO DO
Read Proverbs 24:16; Romans 6:1,2; 2 Corinthians 6:1; Acts 20:24.
SOUL TIME PRAYER
Heavenly Father, all I can say is, THANK YOU for giving me so many second chances. AMEN