The Bible, Jesus, and Golf

I believe it is possible to find Jesus in all the ordinary places of life and that includes on the golf course.  I realize that this might sound insane to many of you, but I hope that you have a chance to meet Jesus in the things you love to do outside of worship.  While it is important the we worship God and get to know God in the context of worship and study, I think everything starts to make sense when we apply our experience in church to everyday life.

In particular, I have found a lot of energy in seeing the stories of Jesus come to life on the golf course.  For example, when I yell Fore! on the golf course, I can't help but see the startling image of John the Baptist yelling Repent! in the wilderness.  As I have grown older, I have had to say Fore! in a lot more ways than one.  With my golf game going southward, I have found that applying Bible stories to golf stories gives me an added incentive to get out on the course again and experience something new.

 

As Eugene Peterson notes, “Reading the Bible isn’t a religious act.  It is a human act.”  I take this to mean a couple of things.  First of all, the story of the Bible isn't just an ancient story about ancient people.  The story of the Bible tells the story of the relationship between humanity and God.  We are a part of that story too.  How are we much different than David and Paul and Job and Peter?  Secondly, I take Peterson to mean that we aren’t supposed to figure the whole story on the first—we aren’t God.  

As it goes in golf, it is ridiculous to think you can master anything on the first try.  Reading the Bible takes practice and sometimes reading scripture can be frustrating.  Maybe you have reached this point of frustration before and thus quit.  That is totally fine and normal.  If that is the case, it may be time to change your swing and approach the Bible in a different way.  Maybe you don’t need a swing change, just some time away to gain some perspective.

Realizing that scripture is relevant in your life today isn’t always the easiest thing to do.  In the same way, getting all the parts of your golf game to work at once isn't easier either.  When it does happen like that, it is a wonderful feeling.  I have found no greater joy in life than when I experience the Word of God alive in my flesh.  It feels like I’ve just made an eagle.  

 

                                          (Hole 15 at Augusta National.  In 1935 Gene Sarazen 

                                           made Double-Eagle.  I guess that felt like heaven.)

I can do everything right and still only make par.  However, it takes luck added to skill to be able to make eagle.  Maybe you got a lucky bounce.  Maybe you miraculously holed out from the middle of the fairway.  Whatever the case, when I make eagle I always feel like I came away with something that I can't articulate.

 

Finding joy in reading scripture happens in a similar way.  There is a certain level of skill that is required in understanding the text but there is also the inspiration of the Holy Spirit that makes reading the Bible special.  In my experience of reading scripture, I have to believe that the ultimate truth is given by the gift of the Holy Spirit, a gift that is impossible to articulate with words.