This weeks devotion was prepared by Mike VanderVelde, Big XII Referee.....

Officials have a very distinct privilege and opportunity to be in a position of influence.  As you become successful in your craft, at whatever level, you begin to become recognized and often admired by other people within your group, your association, etc. 

How do we or how can we as officials provide hope for our crew, other officials, families, etc. considering we are dealing with so many things outside of our control (sickness, political division, etc)? How do we push through this long season while maintaining the drive and hope of a strong performance week in and week out?

There are times where I become deflated when I look at the world around me. I sense God being pushed out of every aspect of society and replaced with man’s own form of spirituality. When I focus on what I see around me, I lose hope. But then, I often remind myself to stop looking around, and start looking up. How? The easiest way is to concentrate on the truths that come from scripture. I could choose to be one of those without hope...“but those who hope in the LORD will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.”(Isaiah 40:31).

I can become deflated by hopelessness, but “when I consider Your heavens, the work of Your fingers, the moon and the stars, which You have set in place, what is mankind that You are mindful of them,  human beings that You care for them? (Psalm 8: 3-4). I am such a small piece of this puzzle, almost insignificant, but yet God of this universe is mindful of me! I believe that when God spoke to Jeremiah saying; “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I set you apart” (Jeremiah 1:5a), he speaks the same to all of us. He knew us and he formed us. We were “fearfully and wonderfully made” (Psalm 139:14). In this I take great hope. I have true hope in my Savior!

I pray that each of you find a new sense of HOPE as we continue working week in and week out.

Isaiah 40:31

Psalm 8: 3-4

Jeremiah 1:5a

Psalm 139:14