A Fresh Start

In today’s devotion, we look at two men from the Bible. Two men with great potential, but with extremely different last chapters of their lives. 

Sampson: a man with tremendous potential, but something happened that hurt him deeply and filled him with bitterness. That bitterness led him down the road of self-destruction (Read Judges, chapters 14 – 16). 

It’s been said that life is five percent what happens to us, and ninety-five percent how we respond to those things. All of us have potential to live productive and fulfilling lives for the cause of Christ. It’s what we do with the incidents that come our way, the negative experiences, the pain, or the hurt, that can write the final chapters of our lives. We can choose to be driven by bitterness, fear, anger, or guilt, or we can receive the forgiveness offered by the Lord and start anew with a fresh start. Psalm 32:1 says, “Blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered.”

Simon Peter: He denied Jesus three times. A personal failure. He heard the rooster crow. He was devastated and wept bitterly. But a rooster’s crow gives hope because that call means morning has come. It’s a new day. It’s a new beginning. The best chapter of Peter’s life was one of faith, hope, love, and restoration (John 21). He went on to serve the Lord faithfully until the end of his life. 

May I suggest you choose the path of Simon Peter. Deal with your failures and move on. Accept the forgiveness from a God of mercy and grace. Become all you were destined to be. COCK-A-DOODLE-DO – It’s a new day! 

The Pastor’s Pocket

Pastor Bruce Freeman

 

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