The Rules of Football!

'God will guide you as you walk through life. You have to do the walking; but he will lead you one step at a time.' Nicky Gumbel.

Nicky gives a good example of needing the boundaries God sets in our lives:

He was at a football match arranged by a friend of his for a team of boys. Unfortunately his friend who was the boy's coach and referee for the match didn't turn up in time. Nicky had to be the ref. He wasn't sure on all the rules, there were no team colours so he didn't know which team was which, and he didn't know the boys names. The game started with Nicky as ref but descended into chaos - he let things play on because he wasn't sure of making decisions. Boys ended up frustrated and injured and shouting, mainly at Nicky! His friend turned up. He had a whistle, knew the boys and the rules. The game was restarted within the confines of the new ref's rules. It was an awesome fun game.

Some people see God as a bunch of rules and regulations and if you don't tow the line you go to hell. These people have the wrong end of the stick. Yes God makes rules and wants you to follow them, but only so you don't get hurt. You have the free will to disobey if you wish, but God sees before you do where it will end. His commands are out of love - think of it more like a parents set of rules than law of the land type rules. Like the footy game, the rules God makes for our lives are more for the maximum enjoyment, they enable the fun, and take away the frustration.

Going back to the footy game, I know what it's like. For years me and my siblings and a few friends used to play down the recky, with jumpers for posts, and no ref. It ALWAYS ended in an argument - 'the ball was in...no it was out.....post and in....! Etc. When played with a ref who decides what was in or out or hitting the post, you might not entirely agree with the refs decision, but it's taken out of your hands, and you respect the position of the ref and his authority, and accept it.