# 69 God the Umpire

The Book of Genesis Day 69 Ge 6:3 And the LORD said, "My Spirit shall not strive with man forever, for he is indeed flesh; yet his days shall be one hundred and twenty years." Ever see an umpire toss a player or manager out of a baseball game? That player or manager is then relegated to the bowels of the stadium in the locker room. He is not allowed back in the game or on the field. This tossing out of the game usually does not happen with the first infraction, rather it is the result of continuous belligerence toward the umpire, and finally the umpire has had enough and out you go! The word “strive” here means to serve as an umpire. An umpire calls out what is true (a strike, safe, fair ball) or untrue (a ball, out, or foul). This word speaks of conviction. There comes a time when God the Holy Spirit ceases to bring conviction which leads to repentance, which allows one to stay in the game of eternal life. Without conviction of sin, the heart becomes hardened and the soul is in grave danger. Stephen reminded his audience of this phenomena in Ac 7:51 "You stiffnecked and uncircumcised in heart and ears! You always resist the Holy Spirit; as your fathers did, so do you”. It is the battle that we all face, and we should always be aware of the strength of our flesh . It is more powerful than we like to admit. The Apostle Paul put it this way: Ro 7:18,19, “For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh) nothing good dwells; for to will is present with me, but how to perform what is good I do not find. 19 For the good that I will to do, I do not do; but the evil I will not to do, that I practice.” Paul could see the struggle and recognized the intensity of the battle. He was so certain of the presence of evil in his flesh that he called it a law! Ro 7:21-23, “I find then a law, that evil is present with me, the one who wills to do good. 22 For I delight in the law of God according to the inward man. 23 But I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members.” Paul’s mind, even though set on God’s Law, was no match for his flesh. No wonder he cries, “O wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death? 25 I thank God--through Jesus Christ our Lord! So then, with the mind I myself serve the law of God, but with the flesh the law of sin.” (Rom 7:24,25) You see, our only hope is Jesus Christ who will deliver us from our flesh. He is stronger! He is able to set us free from the shackles of the flesh! Ro 8:1,2 says, “There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit. 2 For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has made me free from the law of sin and death.” The Law of the Spirit of life trumps the Law of the presence of evil in our flesh, and there is no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus. Praise God for the strivings of flesh and Spirit, praise God for conviction and repentance, for they show that God has not given up on you yet! Reflect: Have you ever seen someone ejected from a game? It’s usually because they vehemently object to a call. Can you see your flesh arguing a call made by God? Do you understand that your flesh is constantly arguing with God? How can that knowledge help you when tempted to sin? Pray: Father, thank You for the Holy Spirit and His work of umpiring my life, may I learn to submit to His calls, knowing that in obedience and trust, You are glorified.