March isn't just about March Madness

I absolutely love this time of year. It?s tourney time. Time to fill out the bracket and watch to see if my favorite teams will make it all the way to the NCAA finals. There is so much excitement that happens during March Madness, but there is something greater happening during the month of March. It is the Easter season. Yes, I realize that Jesus may not have been into monster dunks and 23-foot buzzer-beaters, but he was doing more than playing a game for a trophy. He was securing you and me. You can make a pretty easy comparison between basketball and our life in Christ. There is not a single athlete that would not tell you that what you do prior to stepping on the court has impact on the game itself. Our spiritual lives are that way as well. If I am not preparing myself, I will not be the spiritual athlete Christ is calling me to be. My time in prayer and reading Scripture as well as time spent in fellowship with fellow believers has a significant impact on my spiritual life. When we finally make it to the tipoff, we have to be ready. As the ball is tossed up for the tip, I cannot get distracted. I must time my jump just right. Most importantly, I must listen to the coach. God is speaking to us and showing us what we need to do to succeed at this game called life.

As our lives progress, just like in basketball, we have moments of pressure sort of like the full-court press in basketball. We find ourselves in intense situations similar to being in the paint trying to score and maybe we even find ourselves down. Jesus Christ was the ultimate in comeback player. In the Easter season, you have a choice. You can choose to put in the hard work and grow closer to Christ or you can choose to do nothing. Both of these are choices, even not doing anything. What if God was only as close to you as you attempted to be with him? We can be thankful for his grace and mercy, but inactivity on the part of a Christian is not an option. We have to work hard, work smart, and be consistent. If you do only one of these you will not succeed. If you do only two of these, you will not succeed. You must do all three. Doing all three of these things will place your perspective in the right place. At Washington First Assembly, we have just began a series called Hitting The Hardwood. This series discusses these very issues and give practical application on how to succeed at life. With Christ all things are possible. Do you want to know more? Join us on Sunday mornings at 10 a.m.. Each week builds to our Easter weekend experience. We will have our Easter Eggstravaganza on Saturday, March 26, at 10:30 a.m. Everyone is welcome to come. This egg hunt is for ages birth through fifth grade. There will be prizes, a meal, and a fun time. If you have questions please feel free to contact us at 319-653-3749. Are you ready for game day?