Another Second Chance

The Permanent Record.  We hear about it at school.  Those things that are going in  there become a little more important.  At least it seems that way.  The permanent record is often told as a bit of a joke.  "You know this is going on your permanent record."  It's funny how they never tell you that something good is going on that record, only the bad.

Keeping score, holding a grudge, remembering the record.  We like to keep track of the wins and the losses.  It feels good to think that we are a little ahead.  The Egyptians believed that when we died there was a great weighing of our souls.  If all you your transgressions cause your soul weigh less than a feather, then you are in.  I'm not sure what happens when it is too heavy, but I assume something bad.  

One of the benefits of having a relationship with God is His short memory of out transgressions.  Redemption is a clean slate.  He doesn't keep the record of wrongs.  When we mess up, we want a second chance at doing right.  But a second chance can only happen the first time that we mess up.  After that it is a third, fourth, fifth or sixth chance.  With God, it is always another second chance.  The other mess ups are gone, let's focus on this one.  You repent and are forgiven.  Here is the second chance.  Now sin no more.

I am grateful that God gives me extra chances.  There are things that I struggle with and things that seem no trouble to resist.  But for issues that I struggle with, they are ongoing and relentless.  Many chances are needed.