I have done a lot of golfing in my life, mostly for fun with friends or family, but also in leagues and tournaments.  I am not a great golfer by any stretch of the imagination, (and would probably be rated as below average if the truth be told) but I enjoy it and every now and then I have a good drive, chip or putt that keeps me coming back for more. One thing I was always grateful for when playing golf however, were “mulligans.”  For those of you who do not know, in golf, a mulligan is basically a “do-over.”  It is a shot that is allowed to be played over without penalty, as if the first shot had never been taken.

The idea of getting a second chance is such a big deal, there are many quotes that talk about it. Examples of these are the following:

• If at first you don’t succeed, try, try again. (William Edward Hickson)
• Every moment in your life is a second chance. (Rick Price)
• A second chance doesn’t mean anything if you don’t learn from the first. (Anurag Prakash Ray)
• If anyone is gracious enough to give me a second chance, I won’t need a third. (Pete Rose)

If we think about the “mulligans” we have been given in our lives, I’m sure we can think of many. How often have we been blessed with a second chance or a do-over?

I think I know of the greatest and most important example of this blessing. We are given that second chance every day through God’s unconditional love for us.  We read in Romans 3:23 – For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. In Roman’s 5:8 we are given these words as a second chance to cleanse our sins. But God shows His love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

The chance to live eternally with God just by believing and accepting Him and giving our lives over to Him is the most wonderful opportunity we will ever have. Our sins are forgiven by this simple and sincere act. That is the “mulligan” He has offered to us each and every day of our lives.  Thanks be to God!

Patty