It was 1965 and Skip was a member of the track team at Ewing High School in Ewing, New Jersey. Skip was one of the best hurdlers in the county and Coach Jiras expected that Skip would be competing in the 440 time trial. However, Skip decided that he was not interested in running in the 440. After Coach Jiras realized that Skip had not run in the time trials, he gave Skip a choice, run the next one or turn in your sweats! Skip did not run the next time trial and walked off the field.

The next day, before track practice, a meeting was called in the high school gymn. Coach Jiras came out and told the team that Skip had stopped by his homeroom and asked for a second chance. Of course the team was encouraged to hear the news. Coach Jiras then stated that he wanted the team to hear from him first. He stated, "I gave him that second chance . . . " and as the team members were feeling relieved, he added the word, "yesterday." Dennis Hanft, one of the team members on that 1965 high school team later said, "That sure changed the direction of one person on the team."

It took a coach's commitment to discipline and principle to send a message to the team members that opportunity for repentance does not always knock twice. A direction and principle was established on that team which lasted far beyond that single decision. That decision would be remembered for far more years than would be the track records established or not established that year.

Beyond the years of high school and the world of sports, individuals make bad decisions and fail to take that second opportunity to turn around and correct course. Perhaps some fully expect to have yet another chance if they come to discover that this road is filled with more penalties and dangers than anticipated. Maybe others believe that course correction is possible no matter how far down the road one is. What is often tragic is the late realization that second chances are no longer available. Some decisions in life are just not reversible, even though the effects of those harmful choices can be sometimes and somewhat eased ! What is equally agonizing is that sometimes individuals can travel down roads which have few exit ramps, and ultimately have no exit before the upcoming toll booth. There are numerous examples of individuals who failed to turn around in time and paid a heavy price for their disobedience.

The Lord states that some choices we make just continue to eat away at our lives! God describes that destruction by the mouth of the prophet Joel, through the imagery of a consuming pestilence. "That which the palmerworm hath left hath the locust eaten; and that which the locust hath left hath the cankerworm eaten; and that which the cankerworm hath left hath the caterpiller eaten" (Joel 1:4). Nevertheless, the Lord also indicates just a few verses later that by His generous grace and our repentance, He can repair the damage: "And I will restore to you the years that the locust hath eaten, the cankerworm, and the caterpiller, and the palmerworm, my great army which I sent among you"(Joel 2:25).

Why not take that opportunity to turn around today. "Today if you hear His voice," says Scripture, TODAY is the day of repentance!