March Madness

I love March madness. Being retired during March madness is the best; almost as good as being retired during the Olympics. Of course, my number one team is the Iowa State Cyclones but I can even bring myself to cheer on the Hawkeyes in the Big Ten tournament. The excitement started back when my two boys were at home and their father got them interested in the games. After several decades, I, too, became hooked on watching college basketball. I love the competition and watching the teams battle it out on the court. I love watching the individual who can't miss a basket. I love a great pass that leads to a score. I love a game that comes down to the final minutes to determine the winner.

But, basketball is just a game, right? It's not life or death. Though there are broken hearts sometimes when you lose, you can go on to live a fairly normal life. The world won't stop revolving because of the result at the final buzzer.

Faith, however, is about choosing eternal life or death.

"Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see" (Hebrews 11:1 NIV).

I may have faith in my Cyclones but sometimes they let me down. Sometimes Matt Thomas misses a three pointer. Sometimes, though rarely, Morris will commit a turnover. Sometimes even Hilton Magic fails us - I know, hard to believe, but true.

"Then Jesus told him, 'Because you have seen me, you have believed; blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed'" (John 20:29 NIV).

I am confident that God will keep His promises. They are written in the Bible and I believe. My faith in Jesus Christ as my personal Savior is strong and unyielding. Though I still have more to learn, I trust God to lead me to greater understanding as I continue to seek Him through His Word.

"Without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him" (Hebrews 11:6 NIV).

March is also a great time to seek God's Word and walk through the Lenten season fully armed with the tools of faith.

May you be blessed with strong faith in God, and a win for your team today.