Tuesday March 25 (Lent #18)

(Note: I've been counting the Lenten season since Ash Wednesday but in my early morning haze of trying to write devotionals, I inadvertently counted Sundays. So, I am correcting the Lenten Devotional Number starting today. It is officially the 18th day of the the 40 days of Lent.)

2 Thessalonians 2:13-17

I've been watching a little basketball lately. I admit that I seem to catch a small bit of March Madness each spring. (and a little runny nose, too.) The game I was very interested to watch was the Kentucky Wildcats versus the Wichita State Shockers. It was a great game from start to finish. (some of which I had to watch in highlights because I fell asleep!) There have been a lot of really great, close games and not just a few Cinderellas along the way. It is March Madness after all!

One of the things I found interesting about the KY/WS game was the match up itself. Wichita was seasoned, meaning they had played well together leading them to the final four last year. Most of their team returning, they had only lost 2 games over the past 2 seasons. (now 3) That's an amazing run.

Kentucky on the other hand started 5 all-star freshmen. These were some the best kids from around the nation all coming to play together. (kind of reminded me of the fab 5 from Michigan back in the day). All 5 of them are expected to do very well in the NBA, but sometimes their play through the season was less than cohesive. Which is why the commentary was so interesting.

Wichita knew how to play together. Kentucky knew how to play individually. Wichita was consistent. Kentucky was not. On Sunday Kentucky was on. But if I had to pick a winner in a rematch, I'd still go with Wichita. They came to play...together.

You're probably wondering what this has to do with the spiritual life? (Maybe I just like talking about basketball!)

To be chosen to play basketball for any Division I school means you have something special. To be chosen to play for Kentucky usually means you have the potential to play beyond college (i.e. the NBA) and many do. But just being chosen isn't enough...

,,,you have to show up and play.

Paul told the church at Thessolonica that they were chosen "so that [they] may obtain the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ." (2 Thess. 2:14) Notice that while they were chosen, they still had to obtain something. It wasn't just given to them, they had to receive it, accept it, work toward it. They had to show up, do the drills, practice, dress and perform. 

It's one thing to be chosen...it's another thing to choose.

We can easily become prideful that God chose us, but it's not enough to simply wear the banner of God's Beloved. It is God's purpose that we choose to live as God's Beloved, allowing the Spirit to mold us as we trust God to put us in the game at the right time and in the right position; to show up and be ready.

While most of us are not individual All-Stars (like the KY players), all of us can be key components in an all star team (like Wichita State). It's the purpose of our chosenness.

Now it's our turn...to choose.

Peace ><>
Pastor Chris