Here's To Redemption!

“Weeping may endure for the night, but joy comes in the morning.” Psalm 30:5

Any of you who know me well know that I LOVE March Madness and college basketball. I can’t even imagine the perseverance and work that goes into the practices and competitions. Nor can I comprehend the dedication of those young athletes who have dreamed about their NCAA tournament moment since childhood as they dribbled in the parking lots of their neighborhoods. These focused minded athletes directed by wonderfully skilled coaches give us all the benefits of watching the culmination of years of their hard work and dedication. But this weekend something happened that has never occurred in the NCAA Tournament, casting our eyes on something else. A number 16-seed upset a number 1 seed in the opening round breaking a 135-game losing streak for a 16-seed team. The defeated opponents were stunned and completely devastated for they have had a near perfect year. That would have been enough…that would have been crushing. But what happened after that was so much more devastating. The media continued talking about and showing the faces of those heartbroken boys highlighting the enormity of their failure. It doesn’t matter who wins the 2018 NCAA Tournament because this tournament will be defined by the failure of someone instead of the win. But the man who has coached these boys is a man of God and has shown in the past that he refused to allow society to define him by his achievements or failures. ‘Bennett is a Christian, vocal but not pushy in his faith, a walking example of grace and humility. But I pray that Bennett's words come true: That no matter what I think or what you think, neither Bennett nor his players define themselves by those 40 minutes of basketball. And that for this coach and this program, joy will come in the morning, after a dark night. So, here's to the Virginia Cavaliers winning the 2019 national title. Here's to redemption!’ Writer Reid Forgrave, CBSSports.com

We can all relate to this experience as we have all failed and had to face our own circle of friends and family. We can’t erase the failures in which we walked, but we have the promise and confidence that God can. When we truly repent of these failures He forgives us of our sins, and ‘remembers them no more, casting them as far as the east is from the west.’ (Hebrews 8:12, Psalm 103:12) Man might still define us by our actions, but God defines us by His love. Man can only see the outward circumstances of our lives, but God sees the condition of our hearts. When we have truly sought forgiveness and turned away from our sinful behavior, we are guaranteed redemption. But not on the court, for the redemption that we will walk out is one that leads to the ultimate championship…and we will cut down the nets of Heaven!

“In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace.” Ephesians 1:7