Sunday Bob and I watched the two championship football games that would determine the teams to go to the SuperBowl. Both games were exciting, both went into overtime. In the end the Los Angeles Rams and the New England Patriots emerged winners. But not without controversy over the officiating. To be blunt, it was awful.
There was a “mugging” by a defensive player on a receiver that should have been called, which more than likely would have changed the outcome of that game. Even the NFL has come out to say it was a horrible “non-call.” Nice apology but it can’t be reversed now.
The other game has a “call” that seemed downright silly. What appeared to be an accidental love-pat-like-tap on the quarterback was called roughing the passer and came with a large penalty. That might not have changed the game, but the scores were close enough that it could have.
None of this was the fault of the players. They played the game and fought hard for a win. They gave it their all, but they could not trust or do anything about the officials interpreting or ignoring the rules. That part was out of their control. When you play the game and someone else oversees the officiating – and they don’t do their job well – it goes beyond discouraging, it can change the direction of your life.
As I watched these games, I thought about the One officiating our game. “Because God wanted to make the unchanging nature of his purpose very clear to the heirs of what was promised, he confirmed it with an oath. God did this so that, by two unchangeable things in which it is impossible for God to lie, we who have fled to take hold of the hope offered to us may be greatly encouraged.” [Heb 6:17-18 NIV]
The One officiating our game never changes, never makes a mistake. We who have fled to take hold of the hope offered to us through His Son, Christ Jesus, can be greatly encouraged.
