Second Chance Redemption

May is the month in our area for wildflowers. The roadsides are covered with vibrant yellows, pinks and purple flowers that are just gorgeous! There is an area where I do my daily walk that usually provides moments of pure beauty to gaze at. Except for this year.

The spring in our area was unusually dry. As the wildflowers bloomed, they didn't receive the rain that would help them to flourish and were smaller in size and not as beautiful as in past years.

Each morning as I walked past the place the flowers bloomed, I noticed that they seemed to quickly die out. Finally it looked like wildflower season was over. Then, would you believe, the rains came. There has been almost 2 weeks of rainy days, which we desperately needed.

But, even after being scorched, parched and then rained excessively on, the flowers came back!

Seeing the flowers come back for a second round of blooms brought a smile to my face and renewed joy to my walks. But it also represented a beautiful and paralleling truth. God is the God of second chances.

Have you ever just 'blown it'? Said the wrong thing, made the wrong choice, followed the wrong crowd or simply messed up? We all have. Life has a way of stealing the beauty of our souls in times of drought and heat. In our hearts, our beauty fades and we seem to die back in the dust. Sometimes we hide in shame, avoiding others and situations.

But what a precious reminder that God is a redeeming God. He can pick up the seeds of distress and bring life to them. With the water of His Word flowing in our hearts, newness and beauty can once again be captured. Our lives can shine brighter as grace flows through. He alone can create a clean heart and renew a right spirit within us. His arm is not too short to save nor His ear to short to hear.

When those times come and we feel the heat of shame, let the seed of hope rise up and remember God who brings newness of life to all things is ready to bring abounding blessings and beauty to you.

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