Second Chances

We've all messed up at some time or another. If you've been reading these posts, and are no longer sexually pure, then it may seem that this series doesn't even apply to you. You may say, I've messed up, so I can't have a pure relationship with anyone ever again; God is done with me. Good news, He's not done with you! You can receive forgiveness and start again. Yes, you will still have that lost purity, and yes, God will still punish you, but God will give you a second chance!
Messing up doesn't just apply to dating and relationships, but every single part of our lives. We may reason that we've messed up beyond all hope of redemption, but think again. The Bible gives us countless examples of people who've messed up (Rahab-harlot, David-adulterer and murderer, Peter-denied Jesus 3 times) and who God still used in His plan.
Another person who messed up and received a second chance was Jonah. In Jonah 1, we see three things in his life that can help us look at a life messed up and given a second chance.

Jonah rejected what he knew was right (Jonah 1:1-3)

Jonah was a godly man, a prophet, no less. He received messages straight from God and delivered it...except for the one time God asked him to talk to some of the meanest people on the planet, the people of Nineveh. He knew what was right, and rejected it. Jonah got up and went in the opposite direction to 'escape from the Lord'. Oh silly Jonah, I've often thought, why do you think you can run away from God, when you know he is the Lord Creator and knows all things?!' While my husband was presenting the lesson last night I realized that we, as Christians, do the exact same thing! When we don't want to follow God's will, we feel like we are in control of our own lives and go ahead and do our own thing, and don't for a second think about the consequences. We know what's right, but we reject it and go in the opposite direction. When we do that, we are apt to put not only ourselves, but others in danger. (Jonah 1:4-5). What Jonah was about to learn is that...

God will punish us (Jonah 1:4-11)

God sent a storm to punish Jonah (and later a stinky fish he got to stay in for 3 days and nights-that was anything but sanitary!) When we do wrong God does discipline us but it is good to know that he does it out of His unfailing love: Hebrews 12:5,6
' And have you forgotten the encouraging words God spoke to you as his children? He said,

“My child, don’t make light of the Lord’s discipline,
    and don’t give up when he corrects you.
⁶ For the Lord disciplines those he loves,
    and he punishes each one he accepts as his child."'

If we have accepted Jesus Christ as our personal Savior, we are God's child, and since God is our Father, then we need 'spankings' when we do something wrong. He doesn't do it out of spite or anger, but He does it out of Love. 

God gives us second chances, but we have to accept the repercussions of what we do. And you know, a second chance is not a second chance unless we ask for forgiveness (I want to point out that if we do mess up, we do not lose the salvation God has given us. God's unfailing love never ceases, no matter what we do!). 

Jonah realizes his wrong and asks the men to throw him into the sea(Jonah 1:12) and later he has a long talk with God (Jonah 2). When we ask God's forgiveness, we can see him work through our mistakes. 

 God can use our mistakes for His own good purpose

God turned a horrible situation, in which Jonah had turned his back on God's will, into a revival service for the guys on the ship. They started out praying to all their gods, but ended by making vows to serve God instead (Jonah 1:13-16). You've messed up. Has God given up on you? Is God done with you? No! God can turn your mistakes into something that gives him honor and glory, if you will just seek after Him (Matthew 6:33).

I am going to end this post on a light note. Ever since my husband told me that this is what he was going to talk about, I've had the Veggie Tale song stuck in my head. There are not many clear versions of this on youtube, so sorry for the Spanish(?) title...Enjoy, and know that God has a second chance for you!