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A God of Second Chances

The last two weeks have consisted of a whirlwind of emotions, unexpected experiences and countless growing opportunities. This week I said yes more times than I ever thought the word no. When I doubted myself, and my abilities I chose to jump in. I was ready to fail, be rejected and mess up- but instead God caught me and taught me. He lifted me from my insecurities and showed me a new way to love Him and serve Him. If someone asked me where I thought I would be a year from now I never would have pictured myself here. Teaching Sunday school to squirming wide eyed distracted kids after a 30 minute uphill walk. Thankfully kids have a way of looking past frazzled hair and bright red faces. I never would have imagined myself leading a message/devotional to multiple people. I would never have seen myself reading God's word late at night, eagerly waiting for my host brother to hurry up and finish his movie so I could tell Him of what I was reading. I never envisioned myself in front of a mixed church of my Jamaican friends and American friends leading a game of trivia. Who would have thought the 4th of July would be spent in Jamaican singing the national anthem to our fellow brothers and sisters? But the cherry on the top of these last two crazy weeks was when my host Mom unexpectedly threw me on the back of a motorcycle on our walk to church. Dress and all, I hopped onto the back with a complete stranger telling me to "hold on tight." We rode our way through a spring and up the steep hill with me screaming "I don't even know your name!" Turns out he was a pretty cool guy, but when I set out on foot that morning that wasn't the sort of transportation I had been expecting! But this crazy random out there experience was exactly what I needed for it all to click. God is a God of second chances. He's a God of knew beginnings. Without Him I would be nothing. Without Him I would be broken. Without Him I would still be searching to fill a void I didn't even know I had. But through Him I have been given new life, a new start, and the opportunity to serve Him. Prophet, a young man in the community was sharing with me about how others in his age group (early 20's) view God and the church. Turns out the same way many young people feel back, is the same as my Jamaican friends here. Church can feel intimidating. Somehow as Christians (speaking as a whole) we miss the picture. We understand this concept of new beginnings, and a new life. Yet we forget the path it took to get there. The messy, broken path. We forget that somewhere along the line it took someone meeting us where we were at. "I just need to figure something's out first, before I can step into a church. The way I'm living isn't fit for church." -(Anonymous community member) In other words, let me fix myself up first, and get my ducks in a row before I go to church. But hello! Aren't we missing the point? We don't get a second chance because we've "some good" or "proven ourself." If I wait until I am clean, and worthy enough to be in His presence then I'll be waiting a real long time. The fact of the matter is no one deserves God, no one is worthy enough. Yet He loves us anyways. Despite our failures, mistakes and many shortcomings. God accepts us. Loves us and ultimately forgives us for all our wrong doings. Which means we can stop tiptoeing around God, around the fact that we're all sinners. We're sinners saved by GRACE for a reason. As Christians we need to remember that it is THROUGH Him that we are saved. It is not by works that we are saved but by faith (Ephesians 2:8) We can't do anything to prepare ourselves or clean ourselves up before we give it to God. Scrub your shoes, do up your hair, and memorize as many bible verses as you can before church- try as you might- Jesus will love you just the same. Living in His presence, clinging to His word, immersing ourselves in His love and being obedient to Him should be forefront. Time and time again, God proves this notion to be true. Think about the Samaritan women at the well, who was ashamed of her past and questioned God's act of even speaking to her. Through Jesus she was healed, her slate was wiped clean (John 4:9). Or the disabled man who longed to be able to walk, but let roadblocks stop him. After an encounter with Jesus and a new faith he stood up and walked (John 5:8). A second chance if you ask me. I think of Peter who denied Christ not once, not twice but three times and yet Jesus forgave Him and took him back with open arms (John 21:15) The "church", a body of believers must hold fast to this truth. We must open the doors to all; the sickest of the sick, the richest of the rich, the broken and the searching. And we mustn't forget that Jesus forgives, and saves. Meet people where they are at, be quick to love and slow to anger just as our savior. And above all remember... There are no outsiders in the kingdom of God (Ephesians 2:19 ).

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