For the Love of the Game

His name is Ricardo.
He is 46 years old.
He loves life.
He loves his two daughters Johana and Ana.
He loves the game of soccer.
Out of his love for the game of soccer, Ricardo referees youth soccer games, to help build up the game and the young people who play it.
Last Saturday, April 27th Ricardo was refereeing a game when he noticed the 17 year old goalie of one team pushing an opposing player.
Ricardo gave the goalie a "Yellow Card" - a foul indicating an egregious breaking of the rules. One more "yellow card" would result in a "Red Card" which would mean expulsion from the game.
As Ricardo was writing down his notes concerning the "yellow card", the 17 year old goalie came rushing over and punched Ricardo in the face with a crushing blow.
Ricardo never saw it coming...
He was taken to a hospital, slipped into a coma and for six days Johana and Ana and others prayed for a miracle that would never come.
Ricardo died last night.
Ricardo had been attacked before by players and his daughters had asked him to quit refereeing because it was becoming too dangerous.
For the love of the game he didn't, and for the love of the game he died.

My iWitness...

His name is Jesus
He is 33 years old.
He loves God.
He loves his mom and dad, Mary and Joseph
He loves the game of life.
Out of his love for the game of life, Jesus came down to earth to help build up the game and save the people who play it.
On a Monday Jesus saw some people pushing the less fortunate around in His Father's house. Jesus pulled out a yellow card on the religious leaders of the day.
Four days later the mob came rushing over and punched Jesus in the face with a crushing blow.

Here's the difference...
Jesus saw it coming.
Jesus saw it coming before he ever left the right hand of God the Father Almighty.
The friend's of Jesus had asked him to avoid going to Jerusalem. It would be too dangerous.
Jesus knew that as the grand referee he would be crushed, he would whipped and he would be crucified.
Later that day Jesus was crucified, dead and buried.
His friends and family prayed for the miracle that would come.
The goalie that kept the grave of death locked up was thrown out of the game with a Red Card.
On the third day Jesus was raised from the dead!
The stone was rolled away! Not so that Jesus could come out, but rather that we could look in.
For the love of us He didn't quit on us.
For the love of us He died.
For the love of us He was raised.
For the love of us and for the love of the game of life...
Eternal life...

And that's my iWitness...
Laugh often and Fear not!
David!

"Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus,
who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.
Therefore, God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of the Father." (Philippians 2. 5-11)