Is your bracket blown?

I'm sure that you, like me have said, "my bracket is blown" - at least if you have filled out an NCAA bracket this year.

This has been an exciting time of "March Madness". With some top ranked teams exiting early and some "Cinderella Teams" decimating brackets everywhere.

And while this is a fun time of the year for basketball fans it is really not earth shattering - but what about when the "blown brackets" are not on a sheet of paper? What do we do when the "brackets" represent the plans we have in life?

The hopes and dreams we have are shattered by a sickness, infidelity, or rebellion? NCAA fans can go home and hope for next year. But what can we do?

The good news is that God offers grace and restoration. As a matter of fact the Scripture is filled with examples of blown dreams turned into ministry. I think of Joseph, the spoiled favorite son sold into slavery. God used him mightily. I think of Paul, who started out trying to eradicate the Church and yet became it's greatest advocate. In a couple of weeks I will be preaching about the incredible denial of Peter and the monument of grace he became.

So maybe now your "busted bracket" looms large in your life. Take heart we have a God who is so much larger than our situations. I am reminded of one of my favorite verses in Scripture. Ephesians 3:20 says this, "Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us,"

Maybe it's time to just shred that old bracket - and let God do what only God can do.

Oh, and GO BIG BLUE!!!!!