EURO 2008

Hopp Schwiiz, Hopp Schwiiz !!!

Right now in Switzerland and Austria is the European cup 2008 going. Switzerland is in BIG excitement. The Swiss team is not very good compared with other teams from Europe. But since we are the organizer we are qualified for the games. Many cars on the road have the Swiss flag on the roof. When you go shopping you see that nice red-white sign everywhere. In the news paper it's all about EURO 08. People try to get a last ticket for one of the games. The TV at home is not good enough to watch the game so they go to see it on a huge screen in town. There is actually not enough room for all the fans. And all the shops and hotels are happy and think they can make a lot of money out of this event. In preparation for this the government commended that we have to be friendly and told us even how we can do that. So we are all well prepared and friendly, provided with beer and chips and hopefully with a fist class ticket for the opening game.

And then, the day has come. The big day for which everyone was waiting for; 7th of June 2008, 18:00, the start of the fist game, Switzerland against Czechia. Hopp Schwiiz, hopp Schwiiz... More than 40'000 people are watching the game live in the stadium. And there they go. 22 young men running on the field like crazy.
I was surprised form the Swiss team how well they played. Switzerland has some very good chances to score. They play definitively better than Czechia. But no goal yet. And then minute 42, a foul against Switzerland. Alex Frei is injured! NOOOOO not him. Hi is the captain of the team and the best player, the one who is supposed to score :-0 It looks rather bad. He can't play anymore. He hobbles off the field and the game goes on. But no one scored the first half. Second half; there is much hope for the Swiss team to win. Hopp Schwiiz!!! And then... pause for breath ... minute 71. Toooooooor!!!! Eins zu Null für Tschechien. That's no good. Hopp Schwiiz! Go and score, you are supposed to win have you forgotten? Poor guys, they give their best and play very well but do NOT score the entire game :-( We lost the game and the points. 2 more games to to play with probable less chances to win. When we lose again, we are out.
They analyzed the game and all the people from the TV, news paper, the players and other "smart" people agree that Switzerland played better than Czechia. Well done, Switzerland. But, wait a second, didn't you just say Czechia won the game? Why didn't Switzerland win since they played better? No easier question than this; They didn't score!

That's life. When you don't score you don't win. So, what is it that we can win in our life? Is it money, honor, time, health, friends, property, position, war...? All people try to win. And each one has his own way how he will score. Some ways are not very effective, some are unfair, some are never ending, some are hopeless, some are very hard and some are complicated. From some people you have to say; "Look at him, he won." "he plays better than others." "This is how you do it."
The problem is, there are rules of the game. These rules tell you exactly how you can score and what doesn't count. On the soccer field there is the referee who makes sure everyone plays after to rules. If you don't, like we did, you get the yellow card. We got 3 in one game :-( So when you try to score a goal with your own rules the referee tells you NO, and it doesn't count. If you want to win you have to play after his rules.
The same applies for our life. When you want to win life you have to play after his rules. Who is HE? Who is the real referee of life? The Bible gives us a clear answer on this question. "And the heavens proclaim his righteousness, for God himself is judge." Psalm 50:6 God is the true and only referee. And by him there is only one way to score. "Jesus answered, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me." John 14:6 Only when we believe in Jesus Christ we can win. There is NO option, none! Some people think when they live a good life they could win the game. But did Switzerland win???
Believe it or not, but when you don't score without foul you can't win ever. I'm not a big soccer fan so I am not sad about that game. But I do care a LOT about myself, you can call me selfish, and I want to win life. This is not "just" a game, it is about life and dead! There is not team which helps you to win, only you. There is a great book that tells you everything you need to know about life, it is The Bible. The author is God himself.

"Thank you LORD."