Here we are, here we are, here we are again!
 
O dear me! What went wrong this time?
 
Was it Fabio Capello’s managerial style, do we play too much “kick and rush” as Franz Beckenbauer suggested a few weeks ago, had the England team ever even met each other before the Algerian game (photographs can be doctored you know!), should Arsenal’s Theo Walcott have been picked for the squad, was Robert Green spying for the Americans, is 4.4.2 the best system for England’s current style of play, Should Gerrard be playing up behind Rooney, should goal line technology be introduced into the game immediately if not sooner, or was God punishing the entire England team for John Terry’s affair with Wayne Bridge’s girlfriend? Answers on a postcard please!
 
Once again as on many other occasions, the proud followers of the “Three Lions on the shirt” have to face the unpalatable truth that “Football’s coming home” but not home to England. Good grief, we didn’t even get to penalties this time!
 
By the way, predicting the response from many of you, I am certainly in no position to condemn England, coming as I do from a country whose national team hasn’t qualified for the World Cup since 1986! That of course was the tournament in which Northern Ireland was sent home early from Mexico thanks partly to a dismal 1-1 draw with Algeria. I mean, which team in creation can’t beat Algeria?!!! (Oops sorry!)
 
As I was cleaning Legge Towers this afternoon I came across a memento of more recent optimistic times in the form of a plastic inflatable hammer that was given to my wife, Helen by a pupil at her School. It is designed in the familiar red and white of St.George and it squeaks like BillyO when Helen hits me with it. Above all, emblazoned across the handle in red and white letters is the familiar cry unto battle;”Come on England!”
 
Now here is the dilemma. What should I do with my hammer now? For many of you no doubt the question is absurd; the answer simple. Burst it! Burn it! Bury it! Off with its head! Exterminate!!!! In the light of what has just happened, it serves no other purpose than to rub salt into the collective wounds. Twelve legs have just fallen off three Lions and we want no more reminding of South Africa 2010, thank you! We are a proud footballing nation who would only have been satisfied with total victory. Defeat and failure were simply not an option. And by the way, don’t forget we are not talking about St. Clampett’s Junior Church Sunday League Division 6 (lower) here; We are talking about World class players who we know can score goals blindfolded in a cross wind from the pub car park five miles away from the Stadium on any given Saturday afternoon during the English Premiership season.   
 
It makes you think doesn’t it? Just how good are we at forgiving those who have in any way fallen short of our high expectations of them? Actually, not very good at all, truth be told. Have you read the papers and watched the news reports post Bloemfontein? How dare these “players” return to Merrie England dressed in Armani Suits! It should be sackcloth and ashes! Some of them have even been photographed, reuniting with their families, eating, drinking, smiling, breathing, scratching and generally getting on with their lives, all without our permission! Scandalous!
 
However this attitude leads us on to a further, much more soul searching (literally!) question. If we Christians ever had to do business with a God who responded to us in a similar manner every time we failed, what a terrified and sorry mess we would all be in both as a Church and as individuals. If you are like me, then you won’t have to look too far into the past to drag up times when you have monumentally failed both God and other people. It is a wonderful tribute to a wonderful God that he is not like us in this respect! You see let’s be honest! Very soon we will all be cheering England once again and South Africa 2010 will be just a distant, if still slightly sickening memory. If this “forgiveness” is possible with ‘umble English football fans, how much more so will it be the case with God who longs to forgive us and start training us up for his glory once again?
 
And so to answer my own question above; I have decided to keep my now deflated, squeaky, plastic England hammer. Why? Because it reminds me that the Christian Gospel is about my constant failure to “deliver the results” both for God and others, and a God who doesn’t write me off or deflate me every time I fail, but rather in love “so amazing, so divine,” picks me up, dusts me down and cries out “Come on Legge” at the top of his almighty voice. He keeps me in his team and he keeps faith with me as I strive with the help of the Holy Spirit to become more like Jesus each and every day.
 
All the best for Brazil, 2014!