Thought of the Day !!

For the grace of God has been revealed, bringing salvation to all people. And we are instructed to turn from godless living and sinful pleasures. We should live in this evil world with wisdom, righteousness, and devotion to God, while we look forward with hope to that wonderful day when the glory of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ, will be revealed. He gave his life to free us from every kind of sin, to cleanse us, and to make us his very own people, totally committed to doing good deeds.
Titus 2:11-14 (NLT)

Throughout the Bible we see that our God is a God of second chances. And I hear that coming through very clearly in our passage today. Through God's grace we were brought to salvation, or given a second chance. If it were not for second, and even third and fourth and so on chances where would we be?

Mike Piazza wasn't the best baseball player in high school or college. This is evident by fact that he was drafted in the very last round by the Los Angeles Dodgers, and then only as a favor because the coach knew his dad.

Piazza didn't show promise before his major league career, but in being given a second chance, he became arguably the best hitting catcher in the game and broke the record for most home runs by a catcher a few years ago.

Being given a second chance is so important. A lot of people don't do real well coming out the gate. But the race that Paul talks about running…the race that is our lives is a marathon filled with setbacks and second chances.

Sadly, in this life people are given second chances all the time for which they do nothing with. Maybe it was a speeding ticket not given that didn't slow the person down. Maybe it was an affair forgiven, only to have another that caused divorce. Maybe it was a boss allowing an employee one more time coming in late or one more absence only to be taken advantage of.

For Piazza, he made something out of his second chance. A man who was one of the very last picked will almost assuredly be a Hall of Famer one day.

What about us? We have all been given a second chance at living a life for God. Let's make the best of our second chances in 2010 and afford others the same opportunities.

In the love of Christ,
greg