A Second Chance
By guest writer: Peggy Palmer
Recently I read a story from CBN about a man who came back to life after being declared dead. Michael Branch can testify to the fact that he was clearly given another chance to know his Savior in the most miraculous of ways.
Now we all know that God is a God of second chances, but let’s just do a quick examination of our own lives. Let’s ask ourselves, “What does a ‘Second Chance’ really mean to us individually”? In Galatians 4, Paul calls out to the church and asks; “BUT NOW, after you have known God, or rather, you are known by God, how is it that you turn again to the weak and beggarly elements to which you desire again to be in bondage? I am afraid for you lest I labored in vain.”
Has God held back the whirlwind in your life? I know He has in mine.
Has He stopped you from reaping what you have sown? Absolutely, because I could never survive if I had to pay the price He already paid on my behalf.
So then, how should we look at and embrace second chances? Take it lightly because God is love or really examine where we are spiritually? I think it would help us all if we honestly asked ourselves, are we like King David, a sinner, but repentfull and looking after God’s own heart? In fact, are we taking Christ’s gift of salvation and a second chance for granted? Do we need to ask ourselves, if we may be one of the “Many” spoken of in Matthew 7:27: “Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.”
Personally, like Paul suggests, we need to fully comprehend what it means to be a partaker of God’s grace and be careful not to mock His mercy. Remember… we don’t earn forgiveness, it is a gift that cost Christ Jesus, the Only Begotten Son of God, His very throne and took His purity and laid the sins of the world on His Holy Nature. Just for a moment, imagine the Son of God, giving us all a “Second Chance” by willingly leaving His holy throne, His Father’s Glory and companionship and taking on not just little inconvenient sins, but the one’s you and I call “The Biggies.”. the one’s, you know: Molestation, Murder, Torture and all that goes into man’s inhumanity to man. But He also bore the sins we tend to brush off, the one’s conceived in our hearts: Lying, Hate, Adultery and Pride.
You see, Paul spoke of second chances in many different ways. He spoke of our sins being as far as the east is from the west. He spoke of the Lord’s promise of writing our name, never to be erased, from the Lamb’s Book of Life. But Paul also instructed us to judge our own motivation and warned us that we were not to test our salvation and God’s grace in order to prove we are forgiven. He warned us to be careful not to be taking His grace and mercy for granted.
Frankly, we are a precocious people who take things for granted all the time and with little respect. However, Jesus through Paul and His disciples warns us that if we are not careful to abide in Him fully and know what repentance really looks like, we may grieve the heart of Christ. In Mark 35, Jesus spoke to us of what happens, when each sinful thought and action is brought to fruition. He said that continuing in sin would “Harden our hearts” and this grieved Him. Additionally he warned the Israelites in Gen 6:3; that God’s grace will not always strive with us. So although God is a God of second chances, should we not be grateful and careful to have relationship with Him and not always depend on second chances? Do we not owe it to Him, to give back to Him what He gave to us, that being our love and our hearts?
Remember: ultimately He knows our hearts and our very thoughts. He is the true Judge, so allow yourself to be examined by Him. But also stop wallowing in self-abasement for that grieves His heart also. Allow yourself to become forgiven, to be repentant, and to go under the spiritual knife of being born again into His SECOND CHANCE. We are all but DUST and we are all flesh, but “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me;” and that, my fellow redeemed of Christ, is where the second chance comes into play.
Examine Yourself
Are you half in the boat, and half on the dock?
Then I suggest you look closely; does your walk match your talk?
Are you fooled into thinking, "Good Works" make you saved?
If you do, reconsider, before you go to your grave.
For there, you will find, that the seat that you are in
Is reserved for those people who never turned from their sin.
How sad it will be and too late to undo,
Do you think this could happen, could it happen to you?
So listen to me and listen really well,
For here is the difference between Heaven and Hell.
Whose words do you trust, when you start out your day?
Are you consumed by activities, your work and your play?
Do think about praying, getting down on your knees?
Is it God and His Son that you’re seeking to please?
For here is the key and I give it to you,
Place them first in your heart, a part of all that you do.
Because God is the Father, and Christ is His Son,
And The Spirit will convict you, “They are all One.”
Now just stop pretending, and playing a part,
And let this conviction ring out in your heart.
That this is the time; and today is the day,
For you to make changes and stop running away.
So take your place at the feet of Christ Jesus, God’s Son.
It’s through Him, you’re saved and your soul has been won.
Now, go forth and ponder, let your lesson be learned
For His Grace and His Mercy can never be earned.
It’s a gift that was given, so now what will you do?
Go prove by your walk, what God’s love’s done for you.
Authored by Peggy Palmer
Amen and Amen!
|