New Season, New Crew: Embracing Forgiveness and Growth

To say this is a busy time in my life right now is an understatement. Having just returned from one international mission trip and preparing for another next month, launching our Upward Flag Football & Cheer ministry at church, arranging multiple pick-up requests for donations at RuraLove, and school starting soon - which brings football season!

I recently found out that I was assigned to a specific referee crew this season. Last year, I was a floater. I worked with several different crews on Friday nights subbing for a member of the regular crew.

This year, I am one of those regular crew members.

It is exciting and terrifying at the same time. The knowledge that I will work with the same guys in the same positions every week is extremely comforting. It will allow me to focus on a spot and hopefully excel. It will also give me the chance to really get to know this group of guys over a 12-week season.

One of the things I hear from the vets is that the football official’s association creates bonds and lifelong friends.

This week, I met our “white hat” - the referee who is the crew chief, the one who wears the white hat - and some of the crew I will be working with this season. I have worked with several of these guys before, so I am fairly comfortable with them already.

The terrifying part is that there is no place to hide. I cannot hide in the idea that I am the newbie who is just working with that crew one night and I will be moving onto another next week. Last year, I had the chance to make mistakes and disappear with little thought.

This year, I will be confronted with the same guys every week, and although I will DEFINITELY mess up, I don’t want to!

In Psalm 103:12, we are reminded, “As far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our transgressions from us.”

While the specific context of Psalm 103 is unclear, David obviously wants to emphasize his need to praise God for all that He has done. David highlights God’s blessings and His forgiving love. David concludes with a call for everyone to praise God.

Some people do not feel like praising God. Some feel He has not done anything for them. Some are guilty and ashamed of their transgressions and feel that God could not possibly love them and forgive them.

What is so cool about this verse is the use of direction. North and South are clear, established points (think North and South Poles on a globe). When traveling north at some point you will inevitably start traveling south.

This is not so with East and west. Those are endless and blend into one another.

God is said to remove our transgressions as far as the East is from the West. One might read this, incorrectly mind you, as since there is not really an east or west point, our transgressions just get muddled together and are always in the way.

Maybe you have never thought that, but still, something like that is extremely logical.

But the truth is, He removes our transgressions as far as the East is from the West when we put our faith and trust in Him alone.

He removes them as if they don’t exist. Since the east and west points cannot be truly established, God’s action demonstrates how our transgressions get muddled and disappear along with the east and west.

Even though I am nervous about officiating football again this year and know I will mess up, I also know that my crew is going to help me and coach me up (and may fuss at me from time to time).

And as a child of God, I know my mistakes are removed. And not just removed but as far as the east is from the west. Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross and resurrection from the dead make my transgressions DISAPPEAR!

I don’t have to worry about those anymore and neither do you. Embrace God’s forgiveness and live in the freedom that He gives. You do not have to live in guilt or shame. And in the words of Gandalf, “And that is an encouraging thought.”

Anyway, I was just thinking…