The Whole World

The World Cup championship game is this weekend. It is Netherlands versus Spain. The past few weeks have led up to this finale. It is the culmination of the last four years of anticipation.

I must admit that I have learned about soccer as a necessity. My son, Noah, decided it was his sport of choice at a young age. I had no knowledge of the sport at all. At first I thought it was kind of "cheesy" that you could not have a fast break in soccer. If you try it, you are offsides. In my book, this foul was just a way of saying, "You are too slow!" or "You got beat!"

In Psalms, there are certain Psalms where the world seems out of order. It seems as though there have not been some fair calls or justice. There has been some sense of this in the World Cup games this year. Referees have actually been sent home. Goal Keepers have been replaced. But the pace of the game continues. The games do not stop. Life continues. In Psalm 82, the Psalmist reminds us at the end of the Psalm, "God has the whole world in God's hands."

The hand of God is always at work--in our play, work, in all of our world. Now don't get me wrong, I do not believe it takes away our responsibility or our destiny. God is always at work offering us good options! God is at work trying to bring our world together.

The World Cup competition is amazing in this respect. It brings the world together under the banner of soccer. The competition held every four years moves from continent to continent. The countries play each other to earn the spot in the championship game. Could you imagine a Super Bowl that only comes once every four years?

So as the games are being played, God is at work God is present. God has all the world in God's hand.

I am thinking that Netherlands will carry the cup home!