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New Year is here. You have a second chance. Whatever went wrong, we’ll try again.
Christianity is a second chance religion. It begins in the Old Testament, where God repeatedly sends prophets to remind people how to live. And again and again people reject the Prophet. Yet God never abandons his people. He continues to inspire people to live more loving lives.
Jesus Christ also generously gave me a second chance. He scandalized the people of his time and talked and dined with notorious sinners. And he challenged those sinners to change and start over.
After a medical crisis, I am grateful to be alive
Christianity also teaches us to give second chances to others. One time Jesus asked us how many times we need to forgive people and He said we should forgive those who have sinned against us 77 times (Matthew 18:22). Some translations even say 70 times 7.
Jesus was not suggesting that we should stop walking around with little notebooks and forgiving the 78th transgression. It was.
So what does Second Chance have to do with the New Year?
The New Year is a natural time to take inventory and try to live differently. I love that the church offers its own time to shelve and start over. Lent is a really good time for this. But our religion is a second chance, so there’s never a bad time to consider it.
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Resolving to do something to improve yourself in the New Year is now fairly common. A person may try to change the way they eat, use the treadmill more, or do something related to their physical health and appearance.
Maybe you are one of those people. If so, I’m not here to criticize you. But think bigger. One time Jesus was asked about the most important commandment. He quoted the Old Testament to say that we should love God and love our neighbors (Matthew 22:34-40).
If Jesus said these were the most important commandments, it might be good to do our best to keep them.
I don’t know what’s right for you, but reading the Bible more and spending more time in prayer will help you work on loving God. You may be able to love your neighbors by helping those in need or staying close to those who are feeling lonely. Find out what’s right for you.
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If you decide to fail, don’t worry! Remember that Christianity is a second chance religion. You can always start over.
The amazing truth is that we don’t have to make our resolutions right or do anything else for God to love us. I love you more than we can imagine. The reason for trying again is not to get on God’s good side, but to embody gratitude for God’s love. As he loved us first, let him love others.
The amazing truth is that we don’t have to make our resolutions right or do anything else for God to love us. I love you more than we can imagine.
2022 was an eventful year for me. After a serious health crisis and major surgery, it feels like the perfect time to re-evaluate and start over.
Scott Gunn is an Episcopalian priest and Executive Director of Forward Movement. He is the author of his four books, including ‘The Way of Love: A Practical Guide to follow Jesus’.
In 2023, I plan to spend more time in prayer with gratitude and more time on social media proclaiming God’s love for all of us, you and me, and everyone else. .
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So if that’s your thing, by all means, get off that treadmill. But I hope you will join us in this new year as well. Let’s try to improve what matters most — it’s all about love. And when we inevitably fall short, let us thank our God always ready to give us a second, third, or a million chances.
happy New Year! Happy fresh start!
Click here to read more about Scott Gunn
