Thank God for ‘Re-do’s

By Dawn Wilson –

A story about a sneaky painter reminds me of the blessings of a second chance. As the story goes, the painter thinned down his paint for years while charging his clients full price. One day a local pastor hired the man to paint his church.

“All right!” the painter thought. “I can make some big bucks – it’s going to take a lot of paint!” True to his character, the schemer thinned down the paint and started painting.

Suddenly, a storm swept through the town and a bolt of lightning hit the painter, knocking him from the ladder. As storm clouds swirled and lightning struck near him again and again, the painter feared for his life. “Help me, God,” he yelled. “I know I’ve done wrong. What can I do to get a second chance?”

And a voice boomed from heaven: “Re-paint, re-paint … and thin no more!”

Ah yes, the blessing of repentance. When we confess our sins, God is merciful, faithful to forgive us (1 John 1:9). “How joyful is the one whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered!” (Psalm 32:1 HCSB).

By God’s grace our sins were cast behind His back and He refuses to remember them anymore (Isaiah 43:25; Hebrews 8:12). In the words of an old hymn, “My sins were like a heavy stone God cast and buried in the sea. As east so far from west is thrown, My sins have been removed from me!”

I’ve always appreciated the freshness of a new day. As Christian author and pastor Todd Stocker wrote in Refined: Turning Pain into Purpose, “A sunrise is God’s way of saying, ‘Let’s start again.’”

In a much broader way, we experience this freshness in the sunrise of a new year. Some will make a list of New Year’s resolutions. Others, knowing the dismal results of resolutions in years gone by, will skip the list and simply seek God for a new vision or direction. Perhaps a motivating scripture will keep many on track. Two friends taught me the value of asking the Lord for a “word” to embrace. Last year my word was God-confidence. The word inspired me to create a new ministry, trusting God for strength and wisdom.

This side of heaven, our Maker understands our weaknesses and He is the God of the second chance. And the third. And many more.

Repentance. Confession. Forgiveness. A fresh start. Those fresh beginnings allow for daily choices to draw closer to God, and to obey Him fully and bring Him glory as we become more like Jesus. It’s all possible because of God’s grace.

Have you thanked God for His grace and the countless ‘re-do’s in your own life?