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| Photo credit: Mr. Dietrich |
“Don’t you SEE that?”
“Aren’t you going to DO something?!”
“This is ridiculous!”
“Are you kidding me?!”
This was the chorus that surrounded me last evening as I watched a home varsity lacrosse game from the stands.
Cries rose up from adult men, women, and high school students alike, mostly directed at the referees, but also to one another, as they shouted in disbelief at the failure of flags thrown and fouls overlooked during the second half of the game.
This conference match up always proves to be harrowing as both teams are superior in the league. Let’s just say that “contentious” might be putting it mildly, and I could feel the electric energy and palpable tension the entire time of play.
On one level, it was an interesting display to watch. Our home players would score, then do a quick-step-and-fist-pump in front of the visiting student section. In similar form, their players would run at full speed toward one another, take a flying leap, and chest bump one another. It was quite a show of “athletic peacocking” as well as lacrosse playing skills to say the least.
Both teams played their hearts out as the game went into two periods of overtime.
Finally, with one sure-fire shot into the net, sudden victory was achieved and the visiting team cheered at their game win.
I overheard one frustrated home team fan voice to another, “This is the worst officiating I’ve ever seen in my life!”
As a mom of one of the home team players, I can understand the frustration that was being vented throughout the game. But I am not certain that poor officiating handed our opponents their victory; I could see times when our team dropped the ball or plays could have been better executed. The car ride home was quiet and it put me into a pensive mood, reflecting upon God‘s perfect justice and His sure victory at the end of the Age.
Isaiah 11 says this beautifully, starting with verse 3:
“He will not judge by what he sees with his eyes, or decide by what he hears with his ears; but with righteousness, he will judge the needy, with justice he will give decisions for the poor of the earth. He will strike the earth with the rod of his mouth; with the breath of his lips he will slay the wicked. Righteousness will be his belt and faithfulness the sash around his waist.” Isaiah 11:3-5
The passage goes on to paint a picture of how the lion will lay down with the lamb and how little children will play near the hole of the cobra.
Won’t it be amazing in God‘s kingdom that there will be no rivalries or contentiousness, a place where predators and prey will live in harmony?!
You see, in God‘s kingdom, it plays out this way:
Did you SEE that?
Yes, God SEES and KNOWS.
Are you going to DO something about that?
Yes, God will. (In fact, He already did by sending His Son, and He currently is as His kingdom unfolds here on earth)
My son came home with a bent pole from the last play (I’m thankful his pole bore the brunt of all that force, and not him!).
Maybe you, like me, feel a little bent up and beat up from the battle that wages in the world, and in our very own hearts at times.
But as believers in Christ, we’re so blessed to know the victor and to have the assurance that the battle has already been fought and WON!
