Devotion 6: Resting In The Referee

If you’re a Lions fan, you know. You know the feeling when the game is on the line, you see a clean play, and then spot that dreaded yellow flag. We have all seen a game-changing play; we shout for joy, give high-fives, and clap with excitement, only to have the refs then throw a bogus flag. Every Lions fan knows the feeling of going from celebration to frustration in seconds. I’m teaching my sons that to be a Lions fan is to spend the whole game bracing for the next bad call to ruin the game.

Life often feels like that fourth quarter of a primetime game where the officiating is completely one-sided. We get hit with calls that feel unfair: an unexpected bill, a misunderstanding in our marriage, being passed up for a job opportunity, or a relationship that goes completely sideways despite our best efforts. We stay stressed for days because we are trying to be our own referees, arguing that every play is unfair. In those moments we lose so much rest and peace for days, weeks, or even months. Paul, moreover God’s Word, gives a different "reffing" strategy in Colossians 3:15, writing, "And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body. And be thankful."

The Greek word for rule here is “brabeuo.” It literally means to act as an umpire or to referee. Paul doesn’t describe peace as some fuzzy, passive state we hope to stumble upon while emptying our brains. God’s Word describes the peace we have because of our relationship with Jesus as a functional, ruling authority that is gifted to us to rule our hearts, ultimately giving us rest.

So often, we aren’t restful in life because we view rest as something that only comes whenever there isn’t anything that is stressful, cumbersome, or difficult going on. There are times we can think, “God got the call wrong. There is the wrong flag thrown. There is no way that God’s peace can rule in all this.”

In the game of life, when it feels like the flags are flying against you, stop arguing with the Referee . You aren't the one in charge of the officiating. Instead, submit to that “Divine Umpire.” As believers, we need to let Christ’s peace have the final word over our hearts today. Jesus’s peace was already secured when He rose from the grave. Jesus’s love was already joyfully demonstrated when He died on the cross. While there are moments in life that go not the way we had hoped, our Jesus hasn't gotten the call wrong yet. In fact, it is possible to have rest and peace on this side of eternity, even if you are a Lions fan.