Our theme for this month: “Mistakes”
Our Bible verse for today: “A second time He asked him, ‘Simon, son of John, do you love Me?’ ‘Yes, Lord,’ he said to Him, ‘You know that I love You.’ “Shepherd My sheep,’ He told him.” John 21:16 (HCSB)
Our thought for today: “Our God is a God of second chances.”
So, have you made any mistakes lately? Yeah, me too. I starting counting them up and quickly discovered I don’t have enough fingers and toes. And that was just this morning – before breakfast. We all make mistakes, lots of them, every day.
For that reason I love this scene in John’s gospel when Jesus forgives Peter and restores him to ministry. Peter had failed in a big way when he denied three times that he even knew Jesus. But to his credit he was genuinely sorry for it. We read in Luke’s Gospel that after it happened, Peter went out and wept bitterly. The picture we get of Peter in the days and weeks afterwards is of a man who was humbled, chastened, and convicted.
That was exactly the right response for Peter. He did wrong, he knew it, and he repented of it. He didn’t make excuses, he didn’t attempt to rationalize or explain away his actions, and he made no attempt to shift the blame to others. And since in his case his mistake impacted another person, as soon as he had the opportunity he went to Jesus and made things right.
The mistake many of us make is that we refuse to acknowledge when we are wrong and we allow situations to remain unresolved. But our God is a good of second chances, and third chances, and fourth, and tenth and…
I sure am glad that He is because Peter’s story has so often been my story. I can’t count the number of times in my life (and would prefer not to have to) that I have been impetuous like Peter, failed miserably, and been in deep need of correction, forgiveness and restoration. You too? Well fortunately our God is always ready and willing to forgive us and to restore us.
The first and most obvious lesson we learn here is that when we make a mistake we need to admit it and we need to do whatever is needed to correct it. God is a God of forgiveness and second chances, but it begins by us admitting our mistake.
God Bless,
Oak Hill Baptist Church 