A God of Second Chances? (And third, and fourth...)

I finished the book of Judges last week and I have to say, Israel is quite an interesting group of people.  As I read through the history of Israel I see a nation that can't seem to get it right.  Their disobedience delays their entrance into the promised land, they fail to obey God in His command of complete destruction of pagan influence, they fail to follow the prescribed laws of sacrifice, and the list goes on.  However, I also see a God that worked in spite of all those failings and short comings.  I see a God that , after He tells Israel how He will punish them if they continue in disobedience, goes on to say in Deuteronomy 4:29, "But if from there you seek the LORD your God, you will find him if you seek him with all your heart and with all your soul."  I see a God that "is a merciful God" that "will not abandon or destroy you or forget the covenant with your ancestors, which he confirmed to them by oath."

Those verses are played out throughout scripture.  In the book of Judges we see a cycle of disobedience and judgement.  Israel disobeys God, God allows them to fall to their enemies, Israel cries out and returns to God, God raises up a judge to free Israel from it's enemies.  Then the cycle repeats itself.  It's amazing that God never gets tired of rescuing His children.  No matter how many times the cycle plays itself out, God is always faithful to deliver His people when they repent and turn back to Him.

Now how does that play out for us?  There is NO end to God's redemption and grace.  It's unceasing.  No matter how often we may fall, if we turn back to God He is faithful to forgive and redeem.  Notice there is a condition to this though.  We have to turn back to God.  The fact that God is loving and merciful does not mean we can presume upon that never-ending grace and live how ever we want, continuing in sinful behaviors.  Romans 6:1-2 speaks to this when it says, "What shall we say, then? Shall we go on sinning so that grace may increase? By no means! We are those who have died to sin; how can we live in it any longer?"

God is always standing with arms wide open for the repentant heart.  Those that desire to turn from sin will find a God willing to sacrifice His own Son for them.  However for those that have no desire to turn from there sin, there isn't the same promise.  Those that persist in sin, God says He will give them what they want, by giving "them over in the sinful desires of their hearts to sexual impurity for the degrading of their bodies with one another" (Romans 1:24) and giving "them over to a depraved mind, to do what ought not to be done" (Romans 1:28).  For these individuals, there is no desire to repent and God allows them to continue in their choices.  But for those that truly seek redemption, it is waiting! Take the example of the prodigal son.  He found redemption once he "came to his senses" and returned to the father.  The same is true for us.  We have to turn and seek God.  In those instances He is a God of several chances.