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..
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
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