Second Chances in Life

Have ever felt like you missed your destiny moment? And now you wish with all your heart you could have a second chance? Be encouraged, you still can receive second chances in life – with God’s stubborn love.

Jonah 3:1-10

1 The word of Yahweh was addressed to Jonah a second time.

2 'Up!' he said, 'Go to Nineveh, the great city, and preach to it as I shall tell you.'

3 Jonah set out and went to Nineveh in obedience to the word of Yahweh. Now Nineveh was a city great beyond compare; to cross it took three days.

4 Jonah began by going a day's journey into the city and then proclaimed, 'Only forty days more and Nineveh will be overthrown.'

5 And the people of Nineveh believed in God; they proclaimed a fast and put on sackcloth, from the greatest to the least.

6 When the news reached the king of Nineveh, he rose from his throne, took off his robe, put on sackcloth and sat down in ashes.

7 He then had it proclaimed throughout Nineveh, by decree of the king and his nobles, as follows: 'No person or animal, herd or flock, may eat anything; they may not graze, they may not drink any water.

8 All must put on sackcloth and call on God with all their might; and let everyone renounce his evil ways and violent behaviour.

9 Who knows? Perhaps God will change his mind and relent and renounce his burning wrath, so that we shall not perish.'

10 God saw their efforts to renounce their evil ways. And God relented about the disaster which he had threatened to bring on them, and did not bring it.

God’s call and Destiny moments

Have you heard of this saying, opportunity only knocks once? People sometimes call this a destiny moment.

Yes, there are destiny moments in our lives that we need to take as soon as they come.

Otherwise, these will just pass us by and be given to another that’s more available and ready than we are. 

But why do we miss destiny moments that come along in our lives?

Most of the time, we feel inadequate and unable to do what is asked of us. So we hesitate, or worse, we ignore this nudge in our spirit.

I often heard this taught when I was with my Catholic charismatic community, before: 

God does not look at your ability. He looks at your availability.

And why is that?

It’s because God always equips those whom He calls. 

Jonah’s Destiny Moment

Jonah came into a destiny moment when God called him to preach repentance to Nineveh, otherwise, God will destroy the city.

But sadly, Jonah ran away in the opposite direction, missing his destiny moment.

Nineveh is such a great city and I guess he was afraid and felt inadequate.

You know what happened to him?

God sent a storm to where he was sailing away from God’s call. 

It got so bad that people on the boat with him feared for their lives. When it was found out and he admitted that it was because of his disobedience to God, they threw him into the sea after he told them to.

Then God sent a big fish to swallow Jonah. 

In the depths of the belly of the fish, Jonah repented and cried out to God for help.

You know where God caused the fish to spit out Jonah?

Right on the shores of Nineveh.

Bad things always happen when we are out of God’s plan.

And sometimes God uses storms to bring us to rock bottom and even in the depths of despair and utter helplessness until we realize the error of our ways and call on to God for help.

God’s Second Chances in Life

Then the Lord spoke to Jonah a second time: “Get up and go to the great city of Nineveh, and deliver the message I have given you.” 

This time Jonah obeyed the Lord’s command and went to Nineveh, a city so large that it took three days to see it all. On the day Jonah entered the city, he shouted to the crowds: “Forty days from now Nineveh will be destroyed!” 

Jonah 3:1‭-‬4 NLT

Amazingly, the people and their king repented and sought God’s mercy with all their might.

And God, always the God of second chances, giving us second chances in life, showed mercy and listened to Nineveh.

When God saw what they had done and how they had put a stop to their evil ways, he changed his mind and did not carry out the destruction he had threatened. Jonah 3:10 NLT

All because Jonah obeyed God’s word this second time around.

Everything is grace.

God has second chances for us and many chances afterward.

God’s Stubborn Love 

Why does God give second chances in life and many chances afterward?

It’s because of His stubborn love for us.

I remember a song I liked so much titled Stubborn Love by Kathy Troccoli.

It goes:

It's Your stubborn love, that never lets go of me. I don't understand why You can stay. Perfect love, embracing the worst in me. I can't live without your stubborn love.

I’ve sung that song so many times I lost count, again and again whenever I fell into sin and disobeyed God again and again.

Yet I felt God’s love and forgiveness again and again.

God’s stubborn love has second chances in life, again and again, for me. 

For Jonah and for the people of Nineveh.

And definitely also for you.

Now your turn

Are you failing God again and again?

God’s stubborn love offers second chances in life to you again and again.

Repent and obey God.

Then God will use you like Jonah and cause your life to be a blessing.

• Receive God’s stubborn love and second chances, again and again.
• Repent and obey God’s word the second time around.
• Let God use you in whatever way He wants

Dear Lord,

Thank You for Your stubborn love and the second chances in life that You give again and again. Help me to repent and obey You the second time around. Use my life as a blessing to others and for Your greater glory. In Jesus’ Name. Amen.

 

This is it for now. Till next time.

To our health, wealth, and victory – GODSPEED!