...pastures of grace

Have you ever played golf? Have you ever laced up the spikes, pulled out a stick and tried to hit a dimply white ball? You know every day of the year their are individuals doing this very thing all around the world. They get to the course early to pay and then they head out to get warmed up. They might hit a few range balls or putt a few balls on the practice green. And what is it exactly that you think about when you here the word golf? ...do you think about Tiger Woods and Phil Michelson, or maybe Arnold Palmer and Ben Hogan? ...or do you think about Ty Webb, Al Czervik and Carl Spackler? You see on any given day you will find scratch golfers, bogey golfers and even those lucky to get through nine holes in a hundred strokes or less. Its a game for everyone: tall/short, old/young, hairy/bald, men/women, poor/rich and the list goes on and on.

I truly enjoy the game of golf. The smell of freshly cut grass, a cool breeze in the morning, sun reflecting off the dew on the course. Its friends and strangers coming together to attempt to play one of the greatest, most frustrating, most difficult, most rewarding, most calming, most aggravating, most relaxing, most beautiful sports on planet earth. Some of my greatest memories are tied to those pastures of grace, those green (sometimes brown) pastures of grace. I can't tell you how many times I have been on a golf course and thought to myself, "wow! how did you do it?" Not the greens keeper, no no no, how did you do this God? Its so beautiful, so breath taking...the grass, the sky, the trees and flowers...wow!!!

I recently played with a couple of strangers and had the opportunity to talking to them. I was telling them how much the game of golf resembled faith, religion, life to me. Now this is not life changing news, I am not Copernicus, remember there is nothing new under the sun. But really when you think about the game of golf. Wow, what a visual picture of everyday life as a Christian. I mean time after time, its as if God created this game to show me exactly what he means when he talks about life, faith, focus.

For example. Take the actual swing and hitting of the ball. There is a ball, a club and me. Sure there are other variables...wind, sun, water, sand, trees, poison ivy, etc... I cant will the ball down the fairway, I cant get the ball 300 yards down the fairway under my power alone, no, I need to tools that have been created to deliver this 300 yard shot down then middle. You see I need the Driver or an iron, and I need to learn how to use these tools. Sure I could pick up my ball and throw it down the fairway (have you tried this...it don't go to far...bad English.) But you see that is not how this game was designed. Ok so what does that have to do with life, religion, faith...

You see as a Christian I am told to share the Gospel. God doesn't say you must become a Professional Gospel Sharer (Professional Golfer), no he says share my words with others (everyone, all ages). Sure I could do it my way, and many have tried, and many have either failed or led people far from God (such as those who tee off from the green.) You see God gives us tools, tools designed for our task. We have God's very own words in the Bible (Golf Lessons, Hitting Instruction), and we have been given the Holy Spirit (the Driver). You see i could go about this without the Bible and forgetting the Holy Spirit and I will fail. Shoot I may have a great time doing it my way, but I will never accomplish the goal set out before me. As I swing my driver I am guiding it toward the ball (Gospel) and the driver itself does all the work. And when I hit that ball it will go somewhere, whether it ends up on the cart path, or among the thorns and weeds, or it may end up in the rocks...but the goal is for it to end up in the fairway or in the short grass.

You see we must practice and learn so we can hit our ball into the fairway. And as we practice and as we learn we understand the power of the tools (clubs) we use. It is the same with the Gospel, as we learn and grow in our faith we are able to share the Gospel and be assured that the Holy Spirit is working through us. For it is not I who has the power to change lives but is God who through me changes lives. Just like that driver gives me the ability to hit a 300 yard drive straight down the middle, so too does God give me the ability to share a message that will change lives forever!

Just as golf is for anyone and everyone; so too is faith and life. Its when we step outside of ourselves and take a look at what we have been given do we truly understand our role. Its at this point that we must choose, do we practice, do we fail and triumph and fail again, do we come back for more or do we throw the towel in and say its not for me. If golf is not your thing that is perfectly fine, but if you say that growing in your faith and sharing this wonderful news is not for you...well I would have to say you better rethink that decision.

Finally, in Romans 7, Paul says some very interesting words. "I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do." (Romans 7:15) This is golf in a nutshell, and at the same time its life and sin in a nutshell. Those things that I know I should do...keep my eye on the ball, head down, knees bent, hands, feet, mind...and when I shank the ball over into the thorns and weeds I know that, "For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do." It is in these moments that God finds out who we are, do we give up and run away or do we straighten up and try again. Life is no bed of roses, there are ups and down and troubles around every corner...sounds like Eagle Bluff Golf Club to me. But we must trust that God does not turn from us, he does not point fingers when we screw up...no he longs to hear us call his name, he longs to hear us spread his message, and he longs for us to be in relationship with him.

Golf...God's reminder to me to keep on truckin' to keep on fightin' to push past defeat, because he is stronger and he can move mountains...He is an awesome God!!!