WE have all made mistakes in our lives, falling short of God’s glory. However, the good news is that God is a God of second chances. He forgives us when we repent and turn back to Him. With Him, no fall is final, if only we can repent and return.
There are many Biblical examples of people who were given a second chance by God. Jonah is a famous example. Jonah was a prophet sent by God to Nineveh. Instead of obeying God, Jonah ran away and ended up in the belly of a great fish. It was only after he prayed and repented that God gave him a second chance. Jonah went to Nineveh and preached, and the people there repented and turned back to God.
Another example is Peter. Peter was one of Jesus’ disciples, but he denied Jesus three times during His trial. After Jesus’ resurrection, He appeared to Peter, forgave him, and gave him a second chance to be his disciple and a leader in the early church. In fact, the second chance for Peter was a bigger chance.
These stories show us that God is a God of second chances. He is willing to forgive us and give us another opportunity to serve Him. But we must be willing to repent, turn back to Him and ask for forgiveness.
In the book of Isaiah, we read, “Come now, let us reason together,” says the LORD. “Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red as crimson, they shall be like wool” (Isaiah 1:18). This is a beautiful promise from God. He is telling us that no matter how great our sins are, He is willing to forgive us and make us clean.
But God’s forgiveness is not a license to sin. We cannot continue to sin and expect God to forgive us every time. Paul wrote to the Romans,
Romans 6:1-2 What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin that grace may abound? Certainly not! How shall we who died to sin live any longer in it?
We must strive to live a life that is pleasing to God. We must turn away from our sins and follow Him. When we do fall, however, we can take comfort in the fact that God is there to pick us up and give us a second chance. As David writes in Psalm 103,
Psalm 103:8-10 The Lord is merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in mercy. He will not always strive with us, nor will He keep His anger forever. He has not dealt with us according to our sins, nor punished us according to our iniquities.
No matter how far we have strayed from God, He is always there to welcome us back. Let us turn away from our sins, and seek His forgiveness and His grace. Let us determine to please Him always, knowing that He has given us a second chance to serve Him.
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