When I ask people if they’d like to be younger than they are, most say No. They may want to look or feel younger but few want to give up the wisdom they’ve gained over the years. Today, I celebrate being one month old. My April 4th transplant was like a new birthday, a second chance at living. My body is still beat up from five months of treatment. Walking and constant nausea are difficult but these too are improving. I have to remind myself how very well I am doing, especially for being just one month old. 🙂 I expect to gain much strength in the coming weeks.
In his DVD, Second Chance, Ken Davis shares that second chances are always available to us when we:
1. Listen for God. Even if we are afraid to talk to Him, for fear of what He will ask from us, we can be assured that He wants the very best for us and the very best place to be is in the center of His will. He is always waiting for us to call on Him.
2. Respond to God’s call. When you really listen and expect Him to answer, you will hear Him call you. Don’t keep running away, chasing temporary pleasures while missing rich blessings He intends for you. Join with a local church that strives to live out the truth of God’s Word. This community of care is a lifeline you don’t want to miss. Become part of the movement of God. Our involvement with the the churches in Bolivia, New Orleans, And Cedar Rapids, as well as our local church, have provided us rich opportunities for experiencing God move among us.
3. Cultivate a daily relationship with God. If you run from God long enough you can reach a place where it is difficult to hear his voice. Paul writes in Romans that “God gave them over to their own vain thinking.”
When God gives you a second chance, take it! Jesus is closer to you than you may think, ready to accept you now… and give you a new beginning.
“As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my love. If you keep my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commands and remain in his love. I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete. (Jesus) John 15:9-11