In Daniel Chapter Four, King Nebuchadnezzar felt he did not need God. He suffered from the delusion that he was responsible for his own success. He had been given talent, title, position, prosperity and an ego the size of his statue. The first four came from the Lord, the last one from himself. Many of us suffer from the same malady. We think we are some one special and we agree with others who tell us so.
Yet God gave Nebuchadnezzar a second chance. Why might be an appropriate question however God often does not respond to why. God is allowed to do as he pleases. If he chooses to reveal Himself to a heathen king through the witness of captive teen age boys then He probably intends that heathen to listen. He, God, has more insight into how to help people to listen than you or I.
We are clever, He is God. We think we know everything. He knows everything we think. At our best we seek to uncover the reasons for His choosing. He chooses to seek our best. We second guess His Word, His ways and His will. He guesses at nothing and yet gives second chances. Since He knows the end from the beginning, is it really a second chance or a continuation of the same effort?
Does each circumstance we experience come as a separate incident in our journey or is each moment of the journey a flowing river of His plan for our benefit. Nebuchadnezzar recognized the gift God gave Daniel and admired him for it. Then he witnessed God’s protective love as the Lord walked in the fiery furnace with Daniel’s three faithful friends. Finally he was warned by Daniel to turn from his sin to avoid the consequences of his rebellion.
Three separate event? Three separate chances? Or is it all one plan for good by the God of glory? Where are you at in your relationship walk? Do you believe you walk alone? Is there not the presence, the Spirit, the angels, the awareness that God Himself provides the best opportunities for His best plan? Maybe we get one chance to get it right and it lasts until you have made your last bad decision or finally make the right one.