Sunday, August 12, 2018

God Of Second Chances



And Samson called unto the LORD, and said, O Lord GOD, remember me, I pray thee, and strengthen me, I pray thee, only this once,
Judges 16:28
O God of second chances and new beginnings,
Here I am,
Again.

That prayer sticks out in my mind. As I recall the conversation held earlier in the Critical Care Unit with my friend, I realize that God is a God of second chances. I was expecting his condition to be quite dire from all the stories at work. A car accident on the way there had resulted in massive internal bleeding, a ruptured lung, and a broken pelvis. Yet, here he was sitting up right and talking to me. Revealing his new scar that ran along his chest, I wondered how this was possible. A year earlier, he had suffered the loss of his mother in a car wreck. Tragedy seemed to have followed him. But now he sat before me in bed carrying on a conversation. I prayed with him before I left. Not sure what words to say but God did. I ended my prayer with the God of second chances, for that is what he had.

He had been heading down a road that would have lead to his own self destruction. Now he had the opportunity to embark on a different course. This opportunity I don't believe had fallen on deaf ears. Shaking my friend's hand I started to leave. I looked back to see tears in his eyes. "Thank you for coming by and what you prayed," he said. " Praise God for this moment not me," was my response.

Leaving I felt a little choked up. I thought of how Samson had failed our Lord, Jonah had ran from Him and Peter had denied Him. How much worse am I than they? How many second chances had God given me in life?

A second chance when my life was shattered. A second chance when my heart had become hardened. A second chance to do the right thing. A second chance after failure. A second chance to walk in God's power. A second chance after death for a new life.

Lord,
Thank you, for all the second chances you have given me. At times, when I become angry at my children, help me to be a father like You, filled with second chance for His children.
Amen..


by Lance Gargus
"The most important of life's battles is the one we fight daily in the silent chambers of the soul."

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