Michelle and I have learned to live life in the second chance. We miss things all the time. Sometimes its the opportunity to clean the house before the other has a big day, or simply forgetting to ask "how was your day?" at the end of a long week. One time I forgot to mail out a whole stack of thank-you cards Michelle had spent hour working on. Life without second chances would be miserable and lonely. Think about the last time someone close hurt you. What happened? Did you "kiss and make-up?" Is there still hurt feelings?
My knee-jerk internal reaction to hurt has always been to say to myself... "Fine, that's it, I'm outa here." The funny thing is, I don't act that way, its not the type of person I am. Maybe its God's Grace. Maybe its because I married up and my wife is such a better person than I that she always calls me back to relationship, reminding me that the person who hurt me simply hit a raw nerve in my soul that is afraid of rejection. I think a big part of it is rooted in the fact that I have been on the receiving end of countless second chances. When was the last time you received a second chance? What happened? How did you respond?
It is interesting to me that the first thing Israel did when Moses was gone a little to long on the mountain with God, was to make new gods for themselves and party like it was 1999 (outdated prince song reference). And what did Aaron do? He wimped out and helped them do it. Moses broke the stone tablets God had written on in anger. But, Just when God was about to wipe out the people and start over, Moses steps up and toke the bullet. He invited God to consider his own character and calm his wrath. I bet that made God proud, I can just see God saying "way to go Moses, you are starting to understand what I want to do here."
Just like a child experiences consequences when a parent catches him running into the street, Israel felt the consequences of worshiping other gods. Ultimately, God spared them and exercised a great deal of patience with them because... God loves to give second chances. The tablets a a perfect example... This time God didn't do the writing for them, they had to do it themselves. In the middle of this scene Moses asked God... "Now show me your Glory." God, consented with the condition that Moses would only see the rough equivalent to his back side, since even the sight of his full face would destroy Moses. As he passed by God covered moses to protect him and proclaimed his name. The interesting part is what he said...
“The LORD, the LORD, the compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness, maintaining love to thousands, and forgiving wickedness, rebellion and sin. Yet he does not leave the guilty unpunished; he punishes the children and their children for the sin of the parents to the third and fourth generation.”
Exodus 34:6-7
While God doesn't erase the consequences for our mistakes, he loves to give us second chances when we turn back to him. Do you need a second chance? Is there someone in your life that could use a second chance from you? May God bless you with his love of second chances.
In Jesus' Name,
Amen
