2nd Chances

God has had His hand on my life ever since I can remember.

When I was nine years old, my Mum and I were caught in a rip tide at Port Waikato. Unknown to us there had been a teenage girl playing pranks on the lifeguards and crying ‘wolf’ all morning. She had the lifeguards rushing around only to find it was another false alarm.

Mum and I had been in the rip for over half an hour. We had been pushed against the rocks and further away from the beach. Mum’s hand had been up most of this time – but the lifeguards thought it was the teenager again – and they had had a gutsful and chose to ignore us. We were getting tired and finally someone came and took me off my Mum and in towards shore (meanwhile my Mum was about to be rescued, too).

The young guy who saved me, passed me into the arms of a female lifeguard and then walked off into the car-park area – never to be seen again.  I believe God sent this angel to save me because He had a plan for my life… He gave me a second chance.

When I neared my teens – I got in with the wrong crowd. We were into drugs and alcohol at a young age. We crashed parties, drank till all hours – we had many close calls, not just with the law – but with death itself.

Some dope we were smoking one time – had been laced (by the dealer) with something more powerful than we had ever tried, it was the scariest trip I had ever experienced – results could have been quite deadly. Yet another ‘second’ chance was given out to me.

During another time in my life I got involved with a gang, that were real bad news.  They used to take whatever they wanted and stomped on anything and anyone in their way, with absolutely no thought or concern of the consequences. 

When I look back at the close calls we had while we were with them it scares me to think what could have happened, but God still had His hand on my life and gave me…yes, yet another chance.

A group of us went to Auckland and drag raced with other cars all night, around a domain, swerving round sharp corners, passing the other cars blindly – at one stage we even had the car up on two wheels. At the time we thought it was fun – we thought we were invincible, indestructible. Looking back I know God had sent His angels to protect me, keep me from harm. Another ‘second’ chance.

God had a plan for my life… but I had other plans and that included partying hard and doing things my way. I kept turning away, going in my own direction. I was trying to fill my life with stuff, with people and with busyness.

God didn’t have any room to fit in my life, though He still loved me dearly and protected me through all my stuff ups (and there were plenty of those).

It took me many years to realise that God was the only one who could complete me. The only one who could make my life worthwhile. It was because of some caring Christians, who were passionate enough to share their God with me, that I finally took a u-turn and gave my life to God. Through these people I found a new life, with new hope and perfect plans.

We are lost in a world full of sin, corruption, drugs, manipulation and lies. All this keeps us from our creator, our loving Father…who just wants to spend quality time with us. I didn’t know God – didn’t know His love. Yet, He still sent His only Son, Jesus, to come and give me a series of ‘second chances’.

Those of you who have children, ask yourselves…could you have done the same? Sent your child into a world of corruption, knowing they were pure and sinless, themselves. Could you have sent your child to suffer and die for sinners? Even though those sinners had free will and might never acknowledge you? Maybe never love you? 

Well, your Heavenly Father did exactly that. He did it with one thing in mind - to give you a second chance. A chance to live with Him forever. He is a God of second chances. I nearly ran out of chances. What about you?