Second Chances

By Adele Chong, Session Elder

Chaz Umamoto sang the old hymn Be Thou My Vision at the First Prez prayer gathering on Zoom in response to the storming of the Capitol on January 6th. The hymn was my favorite when I was in intermediate school. Hearing it led me to reflect on what has happened since then. 

Although I, as a pre-teen, had proclaimed I wanted Christ to be my “vision” who would guide my life, I didn’t actually follow through. I graduated from high school and college, worked as an RN, earned a graduate degree, changed my career, and married and divorced twice, and all that time I had not built a relationship with Christ. 

But after the second divorce, I started attending a small Presbyterian church a few miles from my apartment in California, formed friendships with a community of Christians, re-dedicated my life to Christ, and became part of a small group.

A couple of years later I moved to Honolulu because of my job, and started attending First Presbyterian Church of Honolulu at its former Makiki campus. After a few months, I went to the class for new members and joined the church. A few years after, I met a local man, and we were wed inside First Prez’s beautiful Sanctuary. We were blessed with more than nine years of a good marriage before he died.

Recently PBS Hawaii aired promos for its Long Story Short episode that features former First Prez member Stephanie Castillo. In the promo Stephanie says “There’s always second chances, there’s always a way through, a way around, a way to keep trying. It’s just part of humanity.”

In the 27-minute interview, Stephanie talked about her faith: “The more I grew and came to understand what that faith is about, what I see is a God of redemption. What I see is a Spirit of redemption that is available to us as we live our lives that’s challenging and hard. There are always second chances.”

God has given me many second chances. Although it took me many years to make Him my Vision, He was always waiting for me. In my busy days I still need to remind myself to make time to spend with Him and to keep Him Lord of my heart.

Prayer: Dear Lord, thank You for offering second chances, over and over again. Thank You for the hymn writers and musicians who bring Your grace to us through their God-given skills. I pray You will lead me into a closer relationship with You each day. Amen.

You can watch Chelsea Moon’s version of “Be Thou My Vision” here.

Be thou my vision, O Lord of my heart
Naught be all else to me, save that thou art
Thou my best thought, by day or by night
Waking or sleeping, thy presence my light

Be thou my wisdom, and thou my true word
I ever with thee and thou with me, Lord
Thou my great Father, and I thy true son
Thou in me dwelling and I with thee one

Riches I heed not, nor vain, empty praise
Thou mine inheritance, now and always
Thou and thou only first in my heart
High King of heaven, my treasure thou art

High King of heaven, my victory won
May I reach heaven's joys, O bright heaven's sun
Heart of my own heart, whatever befall
Still be my vision, O ruler of all
Heart of my own heart, whatever befall
Still be my vision, O ruler of all

Share this with a friend: