Second Chances

One of my teaching partners told me today that she is getting married. We were standing in the elevator of the Science Center, on our way down to remind groups of students to start heading toward the bus....
Something she said struck me. Hard. "I'm just so grateful that God has seen fit to give us a second chance." And she means that for each of them, this is a second marriage, and having been through difficult ones the first time around they are tickled to have found each other. One was even a guest at the other's first wedding, though was only a teenager at the time. Funny how life works, isn't it?

I am thrilled for them. They love each other deeply and will learn to love each other completely. Tis a very sweet thing.

But I got to thinking about the "second chance" part. Not only because I sometimes find myself wondering if God's plan includes that for me as part of the journey, but mostly because God IS a God of second chances, and third, and fourth...you get the point.
He is a God who desires relationship. With us. Bless His heart. He could do so much better.... yet, He literally longs for us to allow Him to know us and be known by us. regardless of where we have allowed the journey to take us.

We sang yesterday at church: "Amazing love. How can it be, that you my King should die for me? Amazing love, I know it's true. And it's my joy to honour you, in all I do. I honour you." This is where the irony lies. I do not honour Him in all I do. Regardless of my desire or intent, I blow it. A lot. Ask my kids. Ask my students. Ask me... And yet God is a God of second chances. In all things. And I am grateful.