Friday night my wife and I went to a hockey game. It was between the Colorado Avalanche and the Mighty Ducks. Colorado's goalie got a penalty for "delay of game."  A penalty in hockey means your team plays short-handed while you sit in the penalty box.

Yet, during this penalty Colorado's goalie was still in the net. Do you know why? Because another player on his team was allowed to take the penalty for him. That other player was in the penalty box, suffering the consequences of what the goalie did, as if he was the one guilty of breaking the rules.

That's a picture of Christ. We broke the rules, we are the sinners, we have offended God's majesty, we have strayed from the Way, yet it is Christ who paid the penalty. The result? Through Christ and His cross we have a way to God and heaven and eternal life. Through Christ we are saved!