Just One More Chance.....PLEASE?

All who have been united with Christ in baptism 

have put on Christ, like putting on new clothes. 

~Galatians 3:27

 

Have you ever messed up so badly that your prayer wasn't "Help!" rather is was more "Please God tell me You didn't see that"?  

  

When I first became a Christian, I admit that I wasn't very clear on the concepts of Grace, Mercy, and Forgiveness.  I spend (wasted) so much time trying not to mess up and worrying about whether I had messed up and not realized it.  And, of course, the enemy loves to play games with people like me, "Are you SURE you didn't think something bad just now?  Try NOT to think about how angry that person makes you!"  I would even go so far as to write down the things I knew I had done wrong so I could ask God to specifically forgive me for them.  And guess what?  When I had a "not too bad" day, I was cocky and proud of myself!  When my day was "a horrible very bad no good" day, I was crushed.  So I spent the first years as a believer on this rollercoaster and ended up feeling pretty worthless.

 

Finally, I saw a quote from Martin Luther, "Be a sinner and sin boldly, but believe and rejoice in Christ even more boldly!"  Was he giving me permission to do whatever I wanted and to sin freely without regret?  Absolutely not!  It's the last part that caught my attention, "But believe and rejoice in Christ even more boldly."  You see, Martin Luther got it!  He understood the truth that we are going to mess up (Thank you Adam and Eve), but because of the sacrifice of Christ we are given second chances!

 

Then someone showed me Romans 7:15 where the Apostle Paul openly states, "For I don’t understand what I am doing. For I do not do what I want—instead, I do what I hate."  The Apostle Paul messed up!  That brought a huge sense of relief to me.  

 

Then I was reminded of the people that God had given second chances:

     *  Samson was a proud womanizer, God gave him a second chance to fulfill God's plan for him. 

     *  Sarah LAUGHED OUT LOUD when she heard God's messengers telling Abraham that she would bear a son at 99 years old, yet God gave her a second chance to fulfill God's plan for her.

     *  Peter denied Jesus THREE TIMES (and with profanity), yet God gave him a second chance to fulfill God's plan for him.

     *  Saul (who became Paul) tried to destroy Christianity, yet God gave him a second chance to fulfill God's plan for him.

 

You see, God is the God of second chances, and because, as believers, we have put on Christ like a new garment, God sees Christ when He looks at us.  There's no better feeling than knowing that God has forgiven me in spite of me.  And that God has given me second chance(s) to fulfill His plan for me.