second chance

In 2006, high school student Amanda Clark ran a stop sign while talking on her cell phone and was broadsided by another vehicle. Her SUV took a beating, but Amanda walked away with only a few scrapes and bruises. Lesson learned, right?

Not exactly.

One Sunday when he was a young man, Robert Robinson and some buddies went to church…but only to make fun of the Christians gathered in worship. However, the preacher that day was the mighty George Whitefield, and Robinson ended up giving his life to Christ instead!

And that’s just one part of this hymn writer’s amazing spiritual journey.

In August of 2013, 15-year-old Anthony Tremayne Stokes received an emergency heart transplant to ease his suffering from an acute case of dilated cardiomyopathy. According to the team of doctors, there was no doubt the procedure saved his young life.

But Stokes died two years later from something that no team of doctors could prevent.

Scripture has some incredibly compelling stories of second chances. Jonah was swallowed by a whale, but was “released” three days later. Peter’s infamous denial of Christ was forgiven by the resurrected Lord. Oh, and those guys thrown into the fiery furnace had quite a story to tell, too.

But none of these guys have anything on Dr. William Mackay’s God-given second chance!

Though quite wealthy, Ludvig’s life wasn’t particularly noteworthy, and on April 12, 1888, he died after a long bout with heart disease. But when his more famous brother Alfred read the obituary, he was struck to his core…for two reasons.

First, his name was listed as the deceased, and second, it didn’t read too kindly.

Scripture has some incredibly compelling stories of second chances. Jonah was swallowed by a whale, but was “released” three days later. Peter’s infamous denial of Christ was forgiven by the resurrected Lord. Oh, and those guys thrown into the fiery furnace had quite a story to tell, too.

But none of these guys have anything on Dr. William Mackay’s God-given second chance!