Rehab

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1 Corinthians 4:2 Now it is required that those who have been given a trust must prove faithful. (NIV)

I like Michael Vick as an athlete. I think that he has been given an extraordinary amount of talent that is largely unequalled in the NFL. I’ve watched him since his playing days at Virginia Tech and I believed that he would have become one of the major sporting heroes in the United States this decade. I have been deeply disappointed in what has been revealed. I find it hard to believe that’s someone with so much talent, so much wealth, and so much potential would waste it all on illegal betting and savage dog-fighting.

I hope and pray that Michael is rehabilitated whilst he is in prison. I watched his public apology yesterday and I believe that he meant what he said. He’s a young man and if he keeps himself reasonably fit in prison, he may still have something to offer to his sport. Everybody deserves a second chance. My prayer is that Michael abandons his foolish ways and becomes a better person.

Sometimes fallen idols make the best witnesses of God’s redeeming love. When I read Paul’s letters in the Bible, I’m reminded that he originally persecuted the church and may even have killed some of Christ’s followers. On the Damascus road, things changed for Paul in a mighty way. The Lord revealed Himself to Paul and showed him the error of his ways. Paul was given a second chance and he embraced it.

We all make mistakes; we all fall short of God’s expectations; we all are in need of redemption and rehabilitation. Christ comes to us in the midst of our troubles and crises to release us from our addictions, obsessions, temptations, and miscalculations. He has the power to renew our lives; He has the ability to restore us to God.

Prayer: Lord Jesus, You died for our sins so that we might not be defined by our mistakes, but rather refined by Your grace. Help us to turn away from those things that potentially lead us away from God. Grant us mercy when we sin. Give us hope to make our lives better again. Release us from our past regrets and guide us to a future glory. In Your Holy Name, we earnestly pray. Amen.