If the young man had lived by the rules and demonstrated the energy and enterprise he did, he would have made a fortune in business. Sadly he chose a career in crime and ended up with a lengthy series of criminal convictions and he spent many years in prison.

Then the Lord took hold of him and he turned from an angry hate-filled person into someone who is universally loved and respected. During the later years of his life he has been the instrument in God's hand to turn many from lives of sin to righteousness. He is truly a man who had a "second opportunity" in life and he took full advantage of it.

The skills he had formerly used for evil activity were now dedicated to doing good deeds, and many people have been blessed as a result.

A man of God called Jonah messed up his life through rebellion against God's will for him. His life fell apart and he ended up trapped in the stomach of a great fish. Jonah chapter 2 records Jonah's prayer of repentance.

The Lord gave his servant a second opportunity to obey and do the work God had called him to. So we have recorded in Scripture a very dramatic demonstration of how God is The God of the Second Opportunity.

Perhaps you have wandered from the path of obedience like Jonah or you may have started your life journey like the man described above. Always remember the Lord is the same always and He is ready to pick you up, dust you off and give you the same second opportunity He gave Jonah.

Your responsibility is to turn around, change direction in life, give up the rebellion against the Lord and He will embrace you and restore you to His favour. Get a copy of the Bible and look up the book of Jonah. Pray through Jonah's prayer in chapter 2 of his prophecy. Make Jonah's prayer yours. The Lord waits to hear from you today.