God is intensely involved in my golf game. Does that sound as ridiculous to you as it does to me? And yet I believe it is true. You see, I have invited God to participate with me, and I believe He is there with me every hole I play. I freely admit I do most of the talking, but He has His own way of communicating also. Many golfers I’ve played with have talked about the “golf gods”, but I am monotheistic. It’s me and Him.
Let me explain my limited understanding of God’s involvement. God is concerned with my character. He wants me to “…be transformed…” – He wants me to “…become like Him…” I read these things in my bible. With me, as with many others, He has a long way to go in this transformation process. I believe He is looking for every opportunity to move things along. I think I am most open to change, to being transformed, when I am engaged—when I care about what is going on. I’m more aware; I’m more motivated; I’m more malleable.
I am intensely involved in my golf game (some would say foolishly involved). I have a little putting green up in my study. I go to the range two or three times a week. In the summer I play at least three times a week. I save all my scorecards and maintain a registered handicap online. I care.
So how does this work out, me and God and golf, on a practical level? Please don’t think I am so spiritually immature to think that God is blessing me when I’m playing well and disciplining me when I play badly. Results oriented interpretation of the will of God is utter bombast. That’s like sports fans who pray to God for their team to win. In an effusion of self-righteous piety, they even decide their team should win (Spurs vs. Miami comes to mind), and become spiritually indignant when it doesn’t go that way. This is vanity and striving after wind.
Of course, every golfer’s goal is to play well—that’s when golf is the most fun. But if that really was my bottom line, I should give up the game because I’d be coming home unhappy more frequently than happy. About a year ago, I contracted this golfing disease called the yips. Your hands tremble and your body no longer responds to commands from the brain. I was playing a round with the men’s group at my golf course—paired up with three guys that I didn’t know very well, but wanted to impress. In our group play, you’re playing for an individual score but also a team score, so the guys you’re with want you to do well. I five-putted twice and missed an 11 inch birdie putt! It was the most humiliated I’ve ever felt on a golf course, and I asked God how He could let this happen to me. No answer.
Which brings me to the 5th hole at the Bandit (see photo). It is a beautiful hole but mean as a snake. Look at the lush curves and contours. You might notice that everything is sloped to the left, and just to the left of the cart path runs Long Creek. So you can hit a great drive on this hole, right down the middle of the fairway—hell, even up the right side of the fairway!—and your ball can land wrong, kick left, roll down the hill and across the cart path to disappear forever into Long Creek. It’s not fair! And when I hit that ball and get that result, I look up at the sky… And I will gasp in disbelief, or whine, or flip my club, or, on very bad days, actually curse. I suspect that God laughs. Job had devastation and tragedy and loss and canker sores—Dallin got a bad bounce. Ah, perspective.
I am certain God is completely disinterested in my score at the golf course. He doesn’t care (though I do) if I can learn to draw or fade the ball. But I know he is concerned about “..works of the flesh”—I see words like contentions and jealousies and outbursts of anger—and I know He is nurturing “..fruits of the Spirit”—like peace and long-suffering and self-control. So I pray for the grace to let Him work on His game while I work on mine.
And, as ever, He meets us where we are. I haven’t played very well most of this summer. But the other day I was playing with two of my favorite people, and I had one of those heavenly days. A good score on the front nine, and then I go unconscious on the back. Eight straight pars! I hit my drive on 18 knowing I have a chance to shoot par for 9 holes and tie my best score ever in Texas! I have a blind shot to the green. I know how far away I am (117 yds.), but trees and a hill completely block my view. I take my best guess and hit an 8 iron three feet from the pin. Luckiest shot of my life! New record for me! Grace and peace to you from Our Lord Jesus Christ!
I love your blog! Thought I should let you know you have another follower! Also, the Bible does say that He accomplishes what concerns us.…although I’m right there with you in being very concerned about an outcome in the NBA finals that didn’t unfold. Peace, love, joy.….patience… Such a happy trudge!
thanks for reading, lydia! yeah, that spurs loss took on epic dimensions in my psyche… trudging onward, dallin