sElection Sunday

The Sunday before March Madness starts is known as Selection Sunday. This is the day that the NCAA selection committee determines which teams, deserve which seeds, in the "Big Dance". Similarly there was a time in heaven before the foundation of the world or our "Big Dance" where all of us were called and elected in some way. All of us received some form of this call to help the Lord with his work while we are on this earth. The Bible dictionary states that the calling and election "has to do with God’s choice of persons or groups to accomplish his purposes, some may be elected by him to one thing and some to another. Although the Lord uses certain individuals to accomplish his purposes, it does not necessarily follow that these persons will automatically receive a fullness of salvation thereby. Each must, for himself, hearken to the gospel and receive its ordinances and covenants from the hands of the servants of the Lord in order to obtain salvation. If one is elected but does not serve, his election could be said to have been in vain, as Paul expressed in 2 Cor. 6:1."
  So how does a calling and election compare to the selection of teams to play in the tournament? Just like we have to be faithful and righteous to obtain and fulfill our election teams in the tournament are not guaranteed anything. There might be a team who has played great all year and is one of the top teams in the country. They have earned and been given the right to the number one seed in the tournament but again this doesn't guarantee them anything. If that team is not faithful and doesn't continue to work hard they may slip and lose causing that "election", of being that top team, to no longer be theirs. On the other hand there may be a team, or someone, who is placed in a tough situation, like a 16 seed, who may rise to the occasion and because of their hard work, faith and righteousness, they are able to obtain more, help the Lord, in ways not imaginable at one point in time, like #14 Weber State knocking off # 3 North Carolina in 1999 or # 14 Cleavland St. beating #3 Indiana in 1986.
    This is truly a great lesson to learn that nothing is guaranteed in life, even when elected to you by God. The Lord will give us opportunities to help him and to receive blessings in this life but it is up to us to live worthy and be faithful to obtain those blessings. Just like it's up to that number one seed to keep playing hard and win to obtain that right to being called the champions.