GOD OF SECOND CHANCES!
“If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” (1 Jn. 1:9)
During the 1929 Rose Bowl, Georgia Tech played the University of California. Near the end of the first half, Roy Reigels, California’s star center, recovered a fumble. Attempting to avoid tacklers, he became confused and ran the wrong way. Oblivious to the shouts of coaches and teammates, he was finally tackled by a speedy teammate just before crossing the goal line (and scoring a safety for Georgia Tech). As his coaches and teammates shuffled into the dressing room at halftime, the humiliated Reigels sought a remote corner, placed a towel over his head and sobbed quietly.
When his team was ready to go back onto the field for the second half, Reigels didn’t budge. As head coach Nibs Price approached him, Reigels lamented, "Coach, I can't do it! I've ruined you, I’ve ruined myself, I've ruined the University of California. I couldn’t face that crowd to save my life." The wise coach placed a hand on his player's shoulder and said, "Roy, get up and go back in. The game is only half over."
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Mistakes, blunders and errors - we all make them. And we are not alone. The Bible is filled with examples of God’s servants that let Him down at crucial times – Adam & Eve, Abraham, Lot, Moses, Aaron, Samson, Eli, King David and Jonah; not to mention the apostles of Christ. Peter even denied Jesus 3 times, cursing all the while.
And so it is with us. Some of our gaffes are so bad that we wish we could find a hole and disappear. Thankfully, we serve the God of the second chance! He is well aware that we have failed Him and will continue to do so. But as long as we confess our faults and get up, he will put us right back into the "game".
Returning to the story of Roy “Wrong Way” Reigels, his coach talked him into returning to the field. He not only turned in a stellar performance during the 2nd half, he was named team captain and earned All-American honors the next season.
No matter how badly we fail, the game isn't over yet. Get up and get back in the game. God can use you and His church needs you!
Jesus, always Jesus!
Dennis
“If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” (1 Jn. 1:9)
During the 1929 Rose Bowl, Georgia Tech played the University of California. Near the end of the first half, Roy Reigels, California’s star center, recovered a fumble. Attempting to avoid tacklers, he became confused and ran the wrong way. Oblivious to the shouts of coaches and teammates, he was finally tackled by a speedy teammate just before crossing the goal line (and scoring a safety for Georgia Tech). As his coaches and teammates shuffled into the dressing room at halftime, the humiliated Reigels sought a remote corner, placed a towel over his head and sobbed quietly.
When his team was ready to go back onto the field for the second half, Reigels didn’t budge. As head coach Nibs Price approached him, Reigels lamented, "Coach, I can't do it! I've ruined you, I’ve ruined myself, I've ruined the University of California. I couldn’t face that crowd to save my life." The wise coach placed a hand on his player's shoulder and said, "Roy, get up and go back in. The game is only half over."
********************************************************************************************
Mistakes, blunders and errors - we all make them. And we are not alone. The Bible is filled with examples of God’s servants that let Him down at crucial times – Adam & Eve, Abraham, Lot, Moses, Aaron, Samson, Eli, King David and Jonah; not to mention the apostles of Christ. Peter even denied Jesus 3 times, cursing all the while.
And so it is with us. Some of our gaffes are so bad that we wish we could find a hole and disappear. Thankfully, we serve the God of the second chance! He is well aware that we have failed Him and will continue to do so. But as long as we confess our faults and get up, he will put us right back into the "game".
Returning to the story of Roy “Wrong Way” Reigels, his coach talked him into returning to the field. He not only turned in a stellar performance during the 2nd half, he was named team captain and earned All-American honors the next season.
No matter how badly we fail, the game isn't over yet. Get up and get back in the game. God can use you and His church needs you!
Jesus, always Jesus!
Dennis
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