God of Second Chances

My God is a God of 2nd chances, and 3rd chances, and more. I see these as the gift of Grace. Grace appears as the third card in the Justice and Mercy deck. Grace happens when both of these cards have been dealt and there is still another way. Justice and Mercy are binary ways of thinking - either/or. Grace adds that critical thinking element; life doesn't have to be one or the other, think about it, there is another way.

Along the cancer road, Justice would be the card that says, "You have a good doctor, you are healthy, let's look at your type of cancer and the numbers associated with it." Mercy's card would say, in addition to the Justice card, "You have a great support system with lots of family and friends praying for you and sending positive energy your way." Grace takes these two cards into account and adds, "Learn what you need to learn from this experience, and then let go. Whatever happens is for your own growth."

Justice says, "You must have drawn that card in heaven. We never know what we choose, until it's delivered to us." Mercy says, "God must really love you to give you this opportunity for growth." Grace - "Go and grow."

This is where the God of 2nd and 3rd chances comes in. "Go and grow," is not a one-time card. It's a card we can use over and over again, in fact, we probably will. I don't like blaming God for my "trials," I prefer looking at these as natural aspects of living in this world, a world, in my dogma, that gives us experiences that we can use in this life and as we travel to our next life.

I think of the decisions I've made over my lifetime, not always pretty decisions, but nonetheless, justice, mercy, and grace have appeared as I determine how to proceed. I'm not damned, I'm not saved, but I am given another chance.