The Desire to Return
- May 9, 2023
- 2 min read
Pesach Sheni (pey-sac-h shey-knee)
Second Passover - Second Chance
We learned that God truly is a God of the Second Chance. We're really only ever one chance away from a return to Him if it is genuine and from our heart. A desire to return. In that is a return to the same law, same instruction, no illegal returns!
He has compassion and mercy for us and in that He wants death to pass over us. What is our desire? Out of a desire to return, just a small group of people opened up a return not only for themselves but for everyone else too. They did that from the heart first, wanting to be in covenant, wanting to be cleansed from deadness and return from their "long journey" away. (Numbers 9, 2 Chronicles 29-30, 1 Maccabees 4:42-43)
We absolutely cannot save ourselves and God says it again for us... Says it in the #1 Commandment "I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage." Passover. Remember the way. Remember His (Christ's) Death till He comes.
There is a Second Chance for those who Desire to Return
To “I can’t save myself”
To cleanliness, right-standing with God
From their "long journey" (time, distance, moral character) away from Him
To God’s Law, His instructions for life
Do we desire Christ’s return?
Amazing that this Second Chance, Second Passover, not only came from the prompting of man, but it also came just before God's army marched out to follow God's plan and take the promised land... (Numbers 10:11-13)
Reflect on your Second Chance. Did you seize it with desire in your heart?
Consider the echoes (of the pattern we see in history) of just a few people opening up a Second Chance to return to God for many others.
What part of the Word came alive and turned the light on for you?
God has made provision he already knows and has planned on the need to save us. This is just a type and shadow of salvation this celebration of Passover is walking out the planned provision that God has established that none should perish but all come to repentance. Yet narrow is the way few find that path of repentance and that makes a way for others to follow. I pray that I can be a person that throughout my life I pursue repentance that I might be in right standing with God and be a demonstration that being at one with God is worth the effort the work and it produces a life that's worth having. I hope to fully change my minds…
•Reflect on your Second Chance - didyou seize it with desire in your heart?
YES! I am seizing this Second Chance with a very fervent desire in my heart. I can now see my turnings to Him in previous years were not completely genuine 😐
• What part of the Word came alive and turned the light on for you?
For one, just to see that there is a Second Passover!
- they missed it, they desired it in their hearts, so God granted them mercy and not just for them but He opened doors for others (even years down the road) that…
What a fantastic message Nate! I so appreciate your digging into something I had never even heard of until you mentioned it a couple weeks ago and then found myself writing about it in the Torah. I probably would have written it out but not taken all that much time to contemplate it--so thank you! A second chance to do God's instruction---Yes, I seized my second chance with desire in my heart. I desire to be a true witness and that I cannot be without Him/His Spirit. I Returned to Him and died to self righteousness. Uggghhh....self-righteousness is so ugly, so disgusting and yet how we move right into it when trying to save ourselves by what we do for…
What is beyond amazing to me, is that the nature of God is that He doesn’t want you to miss it. Not in a “I need you to not goof this up because I don’t want to fix it” sort of way, but in the way that He provides a second chance when we honestly and fully with our hearts desire to return again because we did miss it. He doesn’t leave us in the “I missed it state” when we truly repent and return with the desire to be apart of His plans, a desire to be a part of fulfilling the law.
I am so thankful for this part of His nature, and that in His love He…
1. Reflect on your Second Chance. Did you seize it with desire in your heart? Yes, I did have desire in my heart at my Second Chance. I still do. God has been dealing with me on drawing closer to Him over the last few months. Putting Him as my very first priority. The second chance is worth fighting for.
2. Consider the echoes (of the pattern we see in history) of just a few people opening us a Second Chance to return to God for many others. The pattern has been, we missed it, and a few make that chance for return available to all who are willing. Even though the children of Israel had missed it, Go…