"Second Chance: A Chance to Change"

When I was returning home last week and our plane was about to land in Norfolk, suddenly it accelerated and shot back up into the air. I knew something was not quite right! Momentarily, the pilot came over the intercom and shared that they realized that there were storms that had developed stronger than anticipated. It was not safe to land the plane. So, instead of descending, we ascended and circled for a bit until the storms moved through. After the storms passed, we descended and were able to safely land. Because we were given a second chance, the pilot had an opportunity to change his plan and land safely.

Our God is the God of Second Chances! A second chance is as an opportunity to change and do things differently. It is an opportunity to move from wrongdoing to right standing, from unforgiveness to forgiveness, and from disobedience to obedience, The book of Jonah is a perfect example of how God extends to us His Grace, Mercy and His unconditional love! He will never give up on us and is always willing to give us a second chance.

The book of Jonah starts off with God calling on Jonah to preach to the people of Nineveh, known as a city full of wickedness. Jonah, in total disobedience, ran away. He boarded a ship and sailed off in the opposite direction. A monstrous storm developed at sea, so great that for fear of sinking, the sailors started throwing their belongings overboard to lighten their load. The captain of the ship found Jonah sleeping and woke him up, blaming him for the storm, asking what he had done to cause it. Jonah confessed that he was disobeying and running from God. He told them to throw him into the sea and the storm would cease from raging. They threw him overboard, and as Jonah said, the seas calmed. To keep Jonah from drowning, God sent a great fish to swallow up Jonah. While in its belly, Jonah cried out and asked for forgiveness. After being in the fish’s belly for three days, Jonah was finally spit out onto the shore and he was given a second chance to do what God initially called him to do. He went back to Nineveh and shared with them God's message. The message was received, and Ninevah turned from their evil ways and were spared. Jonah became angry that Ninevah was not punished and again, God poured out His love. Just like Jonah was given a second chance, God shared that the people of Ninevah also deserved a second chance.

Jonah’s story speaks to the importance of obedience to God. He teaches us that, no matter what, God will still give us a second chance. We can see similar stories in other scriptures such as the parable of the Prodigal Son in Luke 15:11-32. The Prodigal Son left home and squandered all his money, but his father still welcomed him back with open arms when he returned. In the book of Hosea, God speaks of His love for His people even when they have disobeyed Him. Hosea 11:1-4 says, “When Israel was a child, I loved him, and out of Egypt I called my son. But the more I called them, the further they went from Me. They sacrificed to the Baals and they burned incense to images.” God still loved His people despite their disobedience.

These scriptures show us that God is a God of second chances, and He will always forgive us when we come back to Him. It’s important for us to remember this when we are tempted to disobey. We should take God’s word seriously and obey Him the first time, so that we can avoid the storms that come with disobedience. Be grateful for second chances we have been given. We can glorify God, by sharing with others the goodness of our Heavenly Father through the testimony of what He has done for us. Remember to be thankful for all the second chances God has given us!

Heavenly Father, in humble adoration and thanksgiving, we acknowledge that You are the God of Second Chances. We are truly grateful for the opportunity to learn from our mistakes, to grow in Your grace and mercy, seeking to become more like You. You have given us a chance to mend our brokenness, to pick up the shattered pieces of our lives, and to start anew. We thank You for never giving up on us! Help us to open our eyes and focus on You, Lord, rather than ourselves. Open our hearts to Your will and Your ways, so that we may walk in obedience to what You have called us to do. Help us to be more like You, to be filled with Your love, grace, and mercy, so that we can also extend second chances to others, glorifying you in all that we say and do. In the precious name of Jesus, Amen. ©Rita Larson 7/21/2023

#SecondChances #Forgiveness #TheFathersLove #OnWordandUpWord

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