Baseball, football, and baseball are games. But they are very serious
games, and after watching three blown calls, and maybe more that weren’t so
obvious on Sunday night, when the Broncos beat the Patriots, maybe it isn’t a
game, but life and death. Read as big money. Three calls come to mind, and it
just wasn’t me, or just Patriot fans that saw them. The first was when the
scoreboard, the referee, and the chain gang each had a different down. With the
chain gang even writing down the downs, and being wrong. Important stuff you
would think. The other was a suspicious offensive pass interference call
against Gronk, that replay showed didn’t happen, and then again a pass
interference in the end zone. Add in catches that aren’t, or are they, where
did the runner really go down, and what is roughing the passer and the game has
changed. Remember how instant replay was to change the game, and make it
better, I’m not so sure. Nothing like 70,000 fans seeing it again and again on
the Jumbotron, to make the official’s job almost impossible. It is up to them
to keep law and order on the field, to flag penalties, and remember what down it
is. Also to know when a tackle is eligible, and when to start the clock, or not
after a penalty. And it seems more and more they don’t, aren’t, and won’t be.
It seems the more rules they invoke, the harder it is to remember them all, and
no one is sure, even the officials in New York who watch every play dispute
among themselves....”we got the rope, we got the tree, all we need’s the
referee!”
But maybe that old high school cheer is misplaced. We need the ones who
make the rules, not the ones chosen to enforce them. As in all aspects of life,
there are those who make the rules, those who enforce them, and all of us to
obey them. Politicians write laws, then exempt themselves from it, Obamacare
for instance. Police enforce the laws, arresting the offender, then the courts
pass sentence on them, which most times is plea bargained out. Maybe the Bible
is right, that right has become wrong, and wrong has become right, as a good
attorney, and a liberal judge just might get you off. Nothing more annoying
than hearing of the multiple offender, arrested for the 20th time, and
released. Add in illegals, profiling, and cell phones recording crimes, we
still don’t get the true story. What you saw, when you saw it, and your vantage
point are important. If the news hasn’t figured it out, instant replay has.
Yes we had Deflategate, the rumors of the Patriots interrupting the opposing
teams radio, and seconds suspiciously run off the clock in San Diego when the
Chareless happen to be ahead. I once fouled out of a game when I hadn’t due to
a score keepers error. When the referee was shown the error, his reply, “it’s
in the book, can’t do anything about it.” Where was instant replay when I
needed it?
As on the field, in life too there is always someone ready to accuse you.
All they need is the proof, or enough of a reputation of the accused to accuse
the one they thought was caught doing something wrong. We got the referee,
where’s the rope and the tree? And there is nothing worse than being wrongly
accused, or misunderstood. It is in times like this we need to remember we
serve a loving God who sees all, knows all, and is in control of all. All,
includes everything, excludes nothing. The Supreme Court says so, it is law.
But yet we squirm, and try to weasel our way out of things. But we are given
the example of one man, Job, who didn’t.
Job knew God was in charge without reading the book written about him. He
knew he wasn’t like the Good Fairy granting all his wishes. He wasn’t chasing
down sinners and inflicting punishment on them. He was and is a loving God, who
has everything under control. All our situations. He knows what down it is,
who interfered, and who held. Yet when taught the story of Job is taught as a
great battle ground between God and Satan, with Job in between, but it isn’t.
Imagine if the defense was told what the next play was to be, it would change
the way the game is played. Imagine a quarterback asking permission to go long,
or run a sweep. Can you imagine the Nazis asking Patton permission to bomb our
troops? Can’t repeat that answer. But that is Job’s situation, not a war, but
a test. God has everything under control! Then and now!
So how come I have problems? Cancer? My marriage is failing? I lost my
job? Some foolishly think Satan is attacking them, but he is really trying to
get God. We look at the scenario, but miss God in it. Jesus came to reunite us,
and in the tests we turn to him, and are saved. Blessed. It is the tough times
that make the best testimonies, which is why Job’s stands out. Remember Satan’s
words to God, “if you strike his hand, he will curse your face.” Always the
liar. Who do you turn to in tough times? When the call goes against you? When
right is wrong,and wrong is right? Your friends? The courts? Someone in
charge? Why not turn to Jesus, who was put here to save us. To rescue us. We
still have to play the game of life, but we know the final score. He will not
let you be tempted beyond what you can handle. And that test, you may be being
bragged upon by God, “consider my servant...” and you are it. God will bless
us, we just need to turn to him, and let him. To thank him for what he has given
us. And someone is always watching.
We all know that Job’s tests were harsh, but we forget the last few verses,
where he was restored twice what he lost. We have heaven before us, and the
spirit with us to guide. No one wants open heart surgery, but it brought me
closer to God in many ways. Spiritual ways that defy words. Heavenly ways, a
reassurance of what lies ahead. No one likes the tests, and some you cannot
study for. But God is always with us. And so the battle between Satan and God
looms over us. And Satan cannot do anything to us God will not allow! He
always gets the call right! No instant replay needed. And his only rule is
love, easy for all to remember.
And so we can do all things in Christ who strengthens us. And forgives us,
and helps us to carry on. We will not complete every pass, get every first
down, make every tackle. But we win the game of life, we are saved. Where the
records will not count, only our relationship will. Make the right call today,
Jesus. And don’t worry about replays, bad calls, or forgetting what down it
is. Live your life to win, because we do. More rules only make more rules to
break. We are forgiven and given only one. Love God with all your heart, then
go love others. Loved and forgiven. What a way to go through life. We won the
championship, let’s live like champions. Job did. Jesus assures it. And no
matter the score, we win even if it is with time running out. Don’t miss the
final bell, final whistle. Be saved before the buzzer. Game over, we win.
Film at 11. No rope, no tree needed, when God is our referee. And that is all
we need to remember.
love with compassion,
Mike
matthew25biker.blogspot.com