The God of Second Chances
Sometime back, the Rev. King Duncan told a story about a man named Jim Reid. Jim moved to Florida to work for Walt Disney World after it first opened in the early 1970s. He quickly picked up SCUBA diving as a hobby, and in his spare time began diving old shipwrecks, searching for hidden treasures.
One day, he put on his equipment and dove into one of the lakes on a local golf course. Much to his surprise, he found hundreds of golf balls in that small lake. When Jim told the local pro about his discovery, the golf course offered him ten cents a ball for as many balls as he could retrieve. Turns out, Jim found he could make almost as much in one day as he could all week at his other job with Disney.
A new business emerged and Reid became known as the “used golfball king of Florida.” He named the business “Second Chance,” and eventually sold it in 1994 for $5.1 million!
Duncan made the point that Jim Reid is not the only one who specializes in finding that which is lost and thought to be irretrievable. God is the ultimate finder of that which others have marked off as irredeemable. What God finds is not lost golf balls but lost people.
And it is true. Time and time again, when we veer off course, when we miss the mark, God seeks us out, attempts to pull us back, and offers us another chance. Thanks be to God!
Let us pray: Loving God, thank you for second chances. Thank you for not ever giving up on us. Help us never give up on you. Amen.
Daily Message Author: Joe Albright
Joe began his ministry in Sarasota, Florida as an associate pastor, and it was in this capacity that he worked alongside the Reverend Dr. Roger Kunkel. Roger was a colleague who became a mentor and treasured friend. From Sarasota, Joe was called to Jacksonville, Florida where he served as the Head of Staff at Hodges Boulevard Presbyterian Church. Currently, Joe and his family worship and serve at Geneva Presbyterian Church in Switzerland, Florida. Full Bio
