Second Chance Victory

This past week was our annual teen camp and I had the great privilege of driving the bus and being a counselor for the week. It was an action-packed week with great preaching and a lot of competitive activities. We brought eighteen teenagers and three counselors and they kept us plenty busy!

I don’t want to overemphasize the sports but there are life lessons we can learn if we pay attention. One of them was through the one pitch softball tournament they have every year. It is a highly competitive event and can really test your Christian character. We assembled a team with another church and played three games before we were put out of the double elimination tournament. We were competitive and the kids had fun but it was over for us, so I thought.

They announced that there would be a second chance tourney on Thursday that would be single illumination. I thought what a brilliant idea since three quarters of the teams had been put out already and wouldn’t have much to do that day anyway. There were conditions to this tourney, you had to sign up, show up, and play just as hard as you did in the first tournament if you wanted to have a chance to win. The opposition wasn’t going to lay down, they were going to try to defeat you just like they did the first round. The rules didn’t change, the game was played the same but by this time the kids had learned some things about the game and were more prepared. They knew their positions and how to back up each other. They knew to swing at whatever the pitcher threw since they were only getting one pitch and they did great! They won four games in a row to win the championship in the Second Chance Tournament! It was awesome and they were wore out!!!

Maybe you have failed financially, spiritually and in your marriage. You wonder if your life still has meaning. Remember, as long as you are alive, God is giving you another chance to get back up and do something with your life for the glory of God!

The rules have not changed, you still need to read your Bible, pray go to church and stay away from sin! You still need to serve and seek the glory of God but this time hopefully you have learned some things that will help you against the opposition. The opposition will still come and you will still have to fight the good fight. It may wear you out but it does not have to defeat you. You can do all things (the things God has called you to do) through Christ! Philippians 4:13

Will you re-enlist? Will you show up? At church, at devotional time, at service time? It’s up to you, you don’t have to finish as a loser!