Please God, Wave Off That Flag!

Related Scripture:

“Therefore if any man be in Christ, behold all things pass away, and all things become new.”

2 Corinthians 5:17

As officials, we have many rules to follow. The most important thing is not just understanding them but knowing why they exist and how a play's results may be affected by those rules. We need to know if a foul is on a live ball, a loose ball, a running play, in bounds, or out of bounds. We need to see the number or numbers of players committing the foul. We must write down critical fouls on our game cards and report certain fouls to our state associations. Knowledge of the rules and their application ensures the contest is fair to all participating in the game, including players, coaches, fans, communities, and each official.

As a Christian, I am glad God erased all my sins or fouls from His game card. Before I accepted Jesus as my Lord and Savior, my penalty list must have been heavy for God to keep in His pocket. The Bible says that when we come to Jesus, God forgives us of all our sins and places them as far as the East is from the West (Psalms 103:12). He forgets them all, or, as an official, He picks up the flag and waves them off. We are still guilty of sin, but we have been forgiven by the blood of Jesus on the cross.

In the book of Romans, we learn what has been named the Roman road. Romans 3:23 says, "For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God." This means we are all sinners. Romans 6:23 says, “The wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” This means what we have earned for our sin is death, or the separation from God forever, or hell. Romans 10:13 says, “For whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved.” This does not mean that you will be saved if you become a preacher, attend church, or even be baptized (I believe you will desire to be). It says, “for whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord you shall be saved,” not may be saved.

If you have never prayed to receive Jesus, please be encouraged to reach out to someone who might help you begin a walk with Jesus Christ. In the long run, this will mean more to you than officiating a Super Bowl.

Be blessed as you live your new life in Christ Jesus.

Questions to Ponder:

Have you accepted Jesus Christ as your personal Lord and Savior?

Gene Lord - Thomasville, GA - SGFOA