As I look back over my early childhood, I have but two major regrets. The first is that I was not introduced to God at an earlier age. The second is like unto the first, that I was not introduced to golf at an earlier age. Now some of you may be taken back by the connection I make between God and golf (those who know the game would not be surprised :-). However, I am more and more inclined to believe that above all other sports, golf is the game most reflective of our journey to God, even our pilgrimage to heaven.
The longer I play the game of golf, the more I am impressed with its challenge, its depth, its beauty, its unattainable goal of perfection in this life. Ironically, the longer I walk with God and seek to manifest the Christian life the more I am impressed with it challenges, its depth, its beauty, and its unattainable goal of perfection in this life. Golf is so much like the Christian life that it’s scary. One has to wonder if it was not designed in heaven before the rebellion of the angels and the fall of humanity. This would explain our insatiable pursuit of its perfection and our utter frustration in not attaining it. This may also be the reason why I know the perfect round is out there, I just have not found it :-). Whether this is true or not, I am convinced of the striking parallels between golf and the Christian life. Here are just a few.
1. Golf is a game you have to play to really appreciate and love. The Christian life is a life one must enter into in order to appreciate and love. Those who do not know the game of golf can not appreciate the genius, the nuances, the subtleties of breaks, the failures and the successes of the game. Indeed, those who do not know the Christian life can not appreciate the genius, the nuances, the subtleties of breaks, the failures and the successes.
2. Patience is the name of the game in golf. In the Christian life, patience is a virtue all God’s children must exhibit. The game of golf is not a sprint. It is the slow plodding of stringing good shots together while having to overcome obstacles strategically placed in your way. Any one who has walked the walk of faith for any length of time can testify to this truth.
3. The more one plays the game of golf, the better one should get. Likewise, Christianity is a walk that is to get better with time. A good golfer will know more about the game this year than he did last year, and thus in someway should be better. Similarly, a faithful Christian will know more about God and even himself this year than he did last year and thus should be the better for it.
4. Fellowship is an indispensable aspect of the game of golf. In like manner, fellowship in the Christian life goes without saying. Golf is a game to be shared with others in conversation and even in spurring one another on to do better. Such is the essence of the Christian life. We do not live unto ourselves but rather live in community where we enjoy and encourage, even challenge, one another to do better.
5. In golf you are your worse enemy. The longer I live the Christian life the more this truth comes home to me. Indeed, I have no one to blame for my wayward shots than me. Likewise, while my enemies may include the world and the devil, these are only successful against me in so far as I provide them with the ammunition to use. It is my own sin that hinders me more than the sins of others.
Those who play golf understand it to be a passion. The difference between games is simple actually. You see, people play basketball, much as they play with the toys of this world. Yet golf is a pursuit. One must pursue golf, even as one is reminded that he is to pursue God because God has so graciously pursued him. Uh oh,….I think I hear my clubs pursuing me. Gotta go!
The longer I play the game of golf, the more I am impressed with its challenge, its depth, its beauty, its unattainable goal of perfection in this life. Ironically, the longer I walk with God and seek to manifest the Christian life the more I am impressed with it challenges, its depth, its beauty, and its unattainable goal of perfection in this life. Golf is so much like the Christian life that it’s scary. One has to wonder if it was not designed in heaven before the rebellion of the angels and the fall of humanity. This would explain our insatiable pursuit of its perfection and our utter frustration in not attaining it. This may also be the reason why I know the perfect round is out there, I just have not found it :-). Whether this is true or not, I am convinced of the striking parallels between golf and the Christian life. Here are just a few.
1. Golf is a game you have to play to really appreciate and love. The Christian life is a life one must enter into in order to appreciate and love. Those who do not know the game of golf can not appreciate the genius, the nuances, the subtleties of breaks, the failures and the successes of the game. Indeed, those who do not know the Christian life can not appreciate the genius, the nuances, the subtleties of breaks, the failures and the successes.
2. Patience is the name of the game in golf. In the Christian life, patience is a virtue all God’s children must exhibit. The game of golf is not a sprint. It is the slow plodding of stringing good shots together while having to overcome obstacles strategically placed in your way. Any one who has walked the walk of faith for any length of time can testify to this truth.
3. The more one plays the game of golf, the better one should get. Likewise, Christianity is a walk that is to get better with time. A good golfer will know more about the game this year than he did last year, and thus in someway should be better. Similarly, a faithful Christian will know more about God and even himself this year than he did last year and thus should be the better for it.
4. Fellowship is an indispensable aspect of the game of golf. In like manner, fellowship in the Christian life goes without saying. Golf is a game to be shared with others in conversation and even in spurring one another on to do better. Such is the essence of the Christian life. We do not live unto ourselves but rather live in community where we enjoy and encourage, even challenge, one another to do better.
5. In golf you are your worse enemy. The longer I live the Christian life the more this truth comes home to me. Indeed, I have no one to blame for my wayward shots than me. Likewise, while my enemies may include the world and the devil, these are only successful against me in so far as I provide them with the ammunition to use. It is my own sin that hinders me more than the sins of others.
Those who play golf understand it to be a passion. The difference between games is simple actually. You see, people play basketball, much as they play with the toys of this world. Yet golf is a pursuit. One must pursue golf, even as one is reminded that he is to pursue God because God has so graciously pursued him. Uh oh,….I think I hear my clubs pursuing me. Gotta go!
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Very best site. Keep working. Will return in the near future.
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