In one of the Saturday mornings, I have a chance to take time relax myself a little bit. So, I decided to practice my fly casting skill at a local lake – as it is more spacious, less restrictions and less crowded than the river bank.

During my practice of casting, I was surprised by many hungry pan-fish. They seem to be fond of my flies. As a result, I have to keep releasing them back into the lake and my hand was getting smelly. Along the way, I caught one keeper size trout; though I wasn’t target her initially. I decided to keep her. After putting her into a grocery plastic bag, I went back to cast again. Then in the middle of my casting, I find that she broke free from my plastic bag. I checked the bag and realize that the bag is having a hole in it 🙁 I shook my shoulder and continued to cast. After a short while, before I was ready to leave, I caught another keeper size of trout. Guess what? I was stupid enough to put the trout into the broken bag again, thinking that I can close up the hole faster than the trout can get out. I was wrong again. The trout escaped! I laughed badly when I saw her escape scene. I told myself, “Oh well, I already achieved my purpose of practicing. Don’t ask too much 🙂 ”

I don’t know if you have ever encountered a similar situation likes me – I was giving a second chance to do it right but I blew it. Sometimes this kind of situation – like the escaped trout – is not much of importance; other times, however, it may be a matter of life and death. In the Gospel of Matthew chapter 26, it recorded an event of the last Passover dinner gathering that Jesus and His disciples had. And while they were eating, Jesus said, “Truly I tell you, one of you will betray me.” They were very sad and began to say to him one after the other, “Surely you don’t mean me, Lord?” Jesus replied, “The one who has dipped his hand into the bowl with me will betray me. 正吃的時候，耶穌說：「我實在告訴你們：你們中間有一個人要賣我了。」 他們就甚憂愁，一個一個地問他說：「主，是我嗎？」 耶穌回答說：「同我蘸手在盤子裡的，就是他要賣我。(Matthew 26:21-23). Then Judas said, “Surely you don’t mean me, Rabbi?” Jesus answered, “You have said so.” Isn’t this a “second chance” that Jesus gave to Judas to repent? Did Judas take it? No! The consequence, as we read along, is Judas committed suicide due to his guilt and most importantly, he lost the opportunity in gaining the eternal life! Isn’t this a matter of life and death?

We all know that we don’t always have a second chance to make thing right. And when we missed that exact opportunity, bearing regret probably is the only way. Bible told us that Jesus came to this world to complete the work of salvation. He gives everyone of us the second chance to be able to reconcile with God. By His work, whoever believes in Him would be justified before God. We have to realize that this second chance would be vanished as soon as He returns to this world. Therefore, my dear friends, it is absolutely critical for you to not miss this opportunity – it is a distinction between eternal death and eternal life!

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Disclaimer: The sharing is pure from my personal view; therefore, please don’t take it to be absolute. Thanks.