A second chance ...

A second chance - and a third chance, and ... How marvellous is the grace of God! When Peter denied his Lord, once, was he written off? When it happened again, was that the last straw? When he denied the Lord the Lord for a third time, was it all over? No! No! No! To each of these questions, the answer is No! Jesus didn't dismiss Peter as a hopeless case This was not the end for Peter. Jesus brought Peter into a new and wonderful future. Jesus' future was so much better and so much greater than Peter's past. In Luke 22:54-62, we read about Peter's shame, What sadness, there is in the words, "And Peter went out, and wept bitterly" (Luke 22:62)! Did the story of Peter end in sadness? No! It went on to be a story of gladness! Jesus loved Peter - and Jesus' love for Peter changed Peter (John 21:15-17). Peter was no longer looking back with deep regret. He was looking forward with great expectation. What happened next was truly amazing! On the Day of Pentecost, three thousand people were won for Christ - through the preaching of Peter (Acts 2::41). What about us? God has a great future for us!Will we step out into his future - and leave our past behind us?