Thankful for Second Chances
Wednesday, November 4, 2009
by Dr. Paul Chappell
"If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness." 1 John 1:9
God does not sideline us when we fall; we sideline ourselves when we fail to get back up.
The Rijks Museum in Amsterdam is the home of many famous and rare paintings. This gallery holds magnificent pieces by all the great painters of the seventeenth century. One day an unemployed schoolteacher entered the museum, and while wielding a knife, began cutting into one of the gallery's most precious paintings. Over and over again he shredded the painting, running the knife through it before being detained. Oddly enough, a few days later, another man entered St. Peter's Cathedral, and with a hammer began smashing a certain sculpture. He broke off pieces of the face and badly damaged the overall piece before the authorities arrived.
But what happened next surprised many people. Rather than throwing out the sculpture or retiring the painting to a basement somewhere, the owners of the museum and the art gallery hired some of the worlds best painters and sculptors to restore the items. They didn't care what the cost of the project was; they simply cared that the pieces be restored, and set back in their places so others could see them.
These pieces were not discarded because of their mishaps. They weren't thrown out because of their imperfections. The owners of the museum and art gallery went to great lengths and paid dear prices to restore each piece, making sure they were given a second chance.
The same can be said about our Heavenly Father. He went to great lengths and paid a dear price (the blood of His only Son) to save us, and when we fall or mar our lives through sin, He desires to restore us to Himself.
All Christians make mistakes, and everyone falls. Even in the Bible, stories are recorded of believers who made mistakes but were given second chances-everyone from Moses to Jonah to the Apostle Peter. God didn't give up on them, but offered them restoration if they turned to Him.
God doesn't sideline us when we fall; we sideline ourselves when we fail to get back up. God offers us a second chance. He offers us restoration through the forgiveness of His Son, and He desires that we would turn from our sin and allow Him to restore us. But the move must be made by us. If we desire to still be used by God, we must repent of our sin, and seek His restoration.
God never commands you to be perfect. There is no verse that demands Christians live sin-free lives. God understands that there will be times you fall into sin, give into temptation, or make a mistake. God doesn't love you any less because you sin; He stands with arms outstretched, ready to forgive you and give you a second chance.
Is there some area in which you have fallen? Have you sidelined yourself by not getting back up? God doesn't want any Christian to fall by the wayside in the Christian life. He desires that we would all finish our race with faithfulness.
If you have fallen into sin, don't believe the devil's lie that you are worthless. Grasp onto God's truth in 1 John 1:9, and seek His forgiveness and restoration. Take time today to thank God that no matter how many times you fall, He is willing to give you a second chance. You can still finish the race.
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