This past Weekend, the National Football League had their annual draft of college players. For the first night, over 26 million Americans tuned in to watch the draft. For comparison's sake, less than 23 million Americans watched the premier of American Idol this year. So the NFL draft has more viewers than one of the top rated TV shows in America. The draft has become an incredible draw for sports fans.
In the top division of college football, there are approximately 126 colleges fielding football teams. Each of those teams is allowed to have 85 players on scholarship. This mean there were an estimated 1700+ graduating seniors eligible for the draft, not including underclassmen and those eligible from the smaller NCAA divisions. This year, only 253 players were drafter and only a small percentage of those will actually make an NFL roster. An even smaller percentage will have a career in the NFL which lasts at least five years. The two top draft choices were known well before the draft started with them being Andrew Luck from Stanford and Robert Griffin III from Baylor. These players had remarkable careers and are expected to have long-lasting NFL careers. They were chosen because they have skills and intangibles which make them possible Hall of Famers before their careers end.
The draft reminded me that there was a choice made in my life about forty years ago - The day I received Jesus as my personal Savior. Some people may think I chose to be on God's team, but that's not really true. On that day, God chose me to be on His team. He made me His first round selection. I Peter 5:10 tells us, "And the God of all grace, who called you to His eternal glory...". God did the calling, I simply responded. Sometimes we get that backwards and think we sought out Jesus and made a choice to follow Him. However, we simply responded to the choice God had already made. The amazing part of this story is that when God selected me in the first round, He knew I didn't have many skills or talents to be a Hall of Famer. I wasn't very smart, didn't have lots of money, wasn't popular, wasn't a public speaker and had very little to contribute to the team. He chose me, not because of my talents, but in spite of my lack of talent. Think about all of the seniors who have labored for four years playing college football, but who will never be good enough to even get a look by NFL scouts. Certainly they received a free college education, but the ride ends there. Not so with those who have been first round draft choices by God Almighty. The ride is just beginning when we respond to His selection and what a marvelous journey it is.
Today's Sip from the Well is simply a call back to the Creator of our salvation. It is a reminder that God views us as first round selections, even when we don't feel like it, act like it or think like it. You are chosen by God to be on the greatest team ever. Your team mates are players like Paul, John, James, Lydia, Aquila, Priscilla, Mary, Philip, William Tyndale, John Bunyan, John Wesley, George Whitefield, Fanny Crosby, Billy Sunday, Charles Spurgeon, James Kennedy, Billy Graham and a host of others. Wow! Aren't you glad you were chosen by God? Now go out and live like one who was a first round draft choice of the King of Kings and Lord of Lords!
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