Second Chances

John 1:16: From the fullness of His grace we have all received one blessing after another.

Welcome back to another inspirational moment from historical Christian romance novels.

Grace is defined in my NIV bible as God’s free and unmerited favor for sinful humanity. Merriam-Webster gives these definitions: 1) unmerited divine assistance given to humans for their regeneration or sanctification, 2) a virtue coming from God, 3) a state of sanctification enjoyed through divine assistance.

When I think about grace, I always pair it with mercy which is forgiving and compassionate. I was once told that mercy is God sparing us from his full wrath because of our sin. Basically, sparing us from the punishment we deserve because of our sin. Grace is what God extends to us when we repent and turn to Him.

In Jody Hedlund’s novel, The Last Chance Cowboy, we finally get Dylan, the prodigal son’s story. If you’ve read the series then you know that Dylan has been chasing the pleasures of this world in order to satisfy the void in which only God can fill. His sins had caught up with him and he was driven from his home and family. God shows him mercy by providing a way for him to return home and start again as a man of God. Here is a little snippet of Dylan expressing his thanks to God.

“Thank you for lettin’ me come back here. For giving me a second chance.” His whispered prayer settled in the silence around him, broken only by the nearby trickling of a creek filled with melting runoff.

(Hedlund, Jody p.34 The Last Chance Cowboy)

We’ve all been in Dylan’s shoes. We battle with the flesh and sometimes our sinful nature carries far away from God. When we finally come back to Him, he showers us with His grace and mercy, through second chances. I don’t know about you, but I am glad our God is the God of second chances because I’ve certainly had my fair share of them.

I realize Dylan is a fictional character, but his story shows God’s grace and mercy in action. His life is filled with blessings as he reunites with his family. He isn’t spared from the consequences of his sin, but he is able to face them through the grace of God. You’ll have to read the story to find out how God blesses him even through his consequences.

I will leave you with this final thought: Our God is the God of second chances!