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Listen while you read: "Standing At The Portal Of The Opening Year"1 (Lyrics) |
Mark 16:7 – But go, tell his disciples and Peter, "He is going ahead of you into Galilee. There you will see him, just as he told you." (NIV)
"Would you like to redo this assignment?" my math professor asked me as he handed back the work that I had turned in to him the previous day. There was no grade at the top of the paper. He smiled kindly at me. "Just review your work."
Confused, I scanned the page of equations. Then, I laughed. Somehow, I had worked the entirety of the equations … backward. The results, naturally, were incorrect. I was grateful for a professor who allowed me a second chance rather than failing me.
Likewise, Peter got a second chance. At the Last Supper, Peter insisted emphatically, "Even if I have to die with you [Jesus], I will never disown you." (Mark 14:31a NIV) Yet, at the moment of pressure, his actions proved the opposite of his words. Jesus saw him through the crowd and looked at him with love. In today's verse, after Jesus rose again, the angel specifically mentioned Peter. He needed a word of hope after his failure. Jesus gave him another chance. He neither judged nor condemned Peter. He simply forgave him.
The overwhelming love of God continually covers our weaknesses, our sins, and our waywardness. This love does not react to our actions. There is nothing that we can do that will cause God to love us less. We expect condemnation, judgment, and punishment, because lost, broken people around us often dole these out. Just as I would have expected my instructor to fail my homework, so we often expect others to see our failures and judge us harshly.
Yet, by contrast, Jesus provides us with an example of how to treat those who fail. His love pulls us back to Him, covering every sin with His redemptive power. Just as the instructor gave me a fresh chance, so does the Lord. He doesn't review the days, weeks, and months of a year to count our failures. Instead, He renews mercy with each sunrise. Grace abounds every morning. Forgiveness flows abundantly from His heart.
The new year now lies before us like a blank piece of paper, ready for revised equations. If you have wandered, messed up, or sinned over this last year, return to Jesus. The arms of our gracious Saviour wait to receive you!
Prayer: Dear Jesus, thank You for the second chances that Your grace provides us. Thank You for Your forgiveness for every sin and failure when we turn to You and repent. May this new year offer many opportunities for us to serve You with renewed passion. In Your name, we pray. Amen.
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Thanks, Kathleen, for helping us start the New Year right.
Thanks for sharing! Thanks for reminding me anew of our grace filled Redeemer.
Thank you for your devotional and emphasis of how the Lord helps us and corrects us.
Thank you for sharing this encouraging devotional with us. Praise God for second chances! Blessings.
Thank you for the reminder that God is a God of second chances, and He loves us in spite of us!
Wonderful devotion to start this year. Happy New Year and looking forward to more of your inspiring words. God bless.
Happy New Year! Thanks for the kind reminder that we have a forgiving Savior who picks us up when we fall down.
That’s a wonderful sermon, a beautiful ‘parable’, and a great gift for a loving start to the new year. Thank you so much.
Good start to a new year.
Bless you, Kathleen, for this.
(BC)
Many thanks for your very reassuring writing today, Kathleen. Our Lord deserves our continuous thankfulness for His ever-present care and love for us. Blessings for your contribution to the devotional program.
Good morning and thank you for this message.
Where would I be / we be if not for second chances?
God is so faithful.
God bless.
Kathleen, thank you for an inspiring message for this first day of 2024. God’s Grace!! The old hymn words of Grace, Grace, God’s Grace, greater than ALL my sin… came to my mind when I read your words. Thank you! Have a blessed day.
Good morning, Kathleen!
Second Chances – thank you for today’s message. We thank God, Our Father in Heaven for His kind mercies. He blesses us each day with many chances.
Happy New Year!
Dear Kathleen,
Thank you. It is true nourishment to the soul to see again God’s redeeming love. What a wonderful message for this day and the year ahead.
May you have a blessed year.
(BC, Canada)
Dear Kathleen, Thank you for your devotional today. It was one of great hope and encouragement and reminded me of the chorus to the song “The love of God is greater far” Happy New Year to you and yours and Thank you for sharing! (Chorus) O love of God, how rich and pure! How measureless and strong! It shall forevermore endure- The saints’ and angels’ song.
Good morning on the first day of 2024,
Such an encouraging and positive devotional to start the new year as we try to be forgiving and forgetting as God does for us with asking God for help along the way. What a wonderful teacher to offer you the chance to correct your math paper. Really that is how you learn and not just failing someone. May we all remember God’s grace and offer it to others generously. Blessings.
Good News indeed! Blessings.
Thanks Kathleen. I found your reminder of God’s forgiveness to be comforting … as usual!
Blessings.
Thank you, Kathleen. I really relate to Peter’s life — I so often blurt out words like he did. But this is our hope, as you said: “There is nothing that we can do that will cause God to love us less.”