Second Chances

Well, Happy New Year. Yes, when I typed this in order to send it to the editor, I indeed had to go back and correct the date. I typed 2024 out of habit. And I will probably do the same thing on checks and letters more than once in the next few weeks.

Why do we celebrate the new year? In many ways it would seem to be an artificial holiday. And yet, it represents the possibility of a new start. It offers us the opportunity to get things right. Many folks begin the year with resolutions. The intent is to do things differently, and to get better results. Yes, the new year offers us the chance to do things better. It is, in many ways, a second chance.

I am so glad that we have a God who offers us a second chance. He has done so for so many throughout human history. Moses killed a man, went into exile, but returned to lead the Hebrew children out of slavery. Jonah ran from God and his calling, but God rescued him from the belly of the fish to take His message of love to the Ninevites. And Peter denied Jesus three times, and yet he was restored and preached the first Christian sermon on the Day of Pentecost.

And God has done the same thing for so many of us. I have been given second chances on more than one occasion. God has allowed me to fail, forgiven me, and then given me the opportunity to continue to serve Him. Without such grace there would be no hope. But there is grace. There is hope. And it is all because of the goodness and faithfulness of the Lord.