Jan 22, 2014
Anybody need a “Do-Over”?
by Executive Director, Rob Appel
I have a confession. I like the movie “Groundhog Day.” In fact, I have even used this movie backdrop for our chapel time at the SDB Center on a Wednesday morning.
“Groundhog Day” debuted 20 years ago and starred Bill Murray as “Phil,” and Andie MacDowell as “Rita.” The plot is about a self-centered meteorologist named Phil Connors and his news producer Rita, who work for a Pittsburgh television station. They travel to Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania on February 1 to cover the annual Groundhog Day festivities on the morning of February 2.
However, Phil doesn’t like the assignment or the people of the town, and begrudgingly gives his report on the festivities. He then quickly gets his team on the road back to Pittsburgh only to have a freak blizzard come in and shut down the highway. They are forced to return to Punxsutawney and stay another night.
When Phil wakes up the next day, he hears the same disc jockeys talking over the same song (“I Got You Babe“ by Sonny & Cher) on the clock radio. Phil later discovers that it is not the 3rd of February, but rather, he is living February 2nd all over again! For many times following this event, Phil becomes aware that he is reliving Groundhog Day over and over again.
However, only Phil realizes this is occurring. At first he is confused and misuses this discovery in negative ways. But eventually Phil decides that he can make a positive difference through this experience, finally makes the right choices, and moves on to see the morning of February 3rd.
Do you remember as a kid calling for a “Do-Over”? Like getting an extra strike when batting so you’re not out, or taking another basketball shot at the free throw line. Or, how about making a mistake with an Etch-A-Sketch, then simply turning it upside down and shaking it to make the mistake go away and starting over?
Even today, kids and adults can take an extra turn at a video game, just because they know that this time they will get the sequence perfect, and be able to move on to the next level.
It seems like more and more people are looking for a “Do-Over.” Even in amateur golf, they have a thing called a “mulligan,” which is just a fancy word for a do-over.
So why does it seem so important to be able to have a Do-Over? It’s probably because we don’t always make the best choices the first time, and we’re looking for an out. But unlike the movie Groundhog Day, we can’t get a whole new day to replace the one we messed up in. Or can we?
Although we can’t start a new day, God has provided us a way to start over.
In 2 Corinthians 5:17 it says, “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!” Those who become Christians become new persons. They are not the same anymore, for their old life is gone and a new life has begun!
In Philippians 3:12-14 Paul writes, “Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already arrived at my goal, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.”
We are to keep working toward the day when we will finally be all that Christ Jesus saved us for and wants us to be!
So, do you need a Do-Over in your spiritual life and in your personal life? Do you need to recommit to Christ? If you do, you have that opportunity! Maybe today is your “Groundhog Day.”