The Lord your God is in your midst,
a mighty one who will save;
he will rejoice over you with gladness;
he will quiet you by his love;
he will exult over you with loud singing. (Zephaniah 3:17, NIV)
Golfers aren’t the satisfied type. We constantly live with a sort of tickle, itching for that one part of the game we have yet to find or refine. We tell ourselves that once this grassy puzzle piece is finally placed, it will be all smooth fairways and greens on this side of heaven.
Perhaps you have even had one of those well assembled rounds, even breaking a personal record, and you still found yourself saying: “Yes, it was a wonderful day, but I left a couple shots out there.”
Alas, the scratching feeling that “something is missing” is not only found in a golfer’s spoiled potential; it is also found in our daily lives, occupations and entertainments. It is the all-elusive perfection, satisfaction, and peace our souls yearn for. It is that disquieted rumbling that roars when in solitude or silence. In the hearts of some people, this spiritual place is adorned with a DO NOT DISTURB sign, and for some people the noise is an alarm that prompts evacuation procedures. For others it is a like a bark that awakens in the middle of the night, unsure if they should be glad or scared, happy or sad.
Most of us know the Ten Commandments; we know what “sin” is, what we ought not to do. But what goes before and behind us, pursuing and stalking and disturbing us, is the glory of God. We can be told that we fall short of it, yet it is of a highest order, beyond words. Understanding it often passes over the mind and heart, lying flat like ink on a cold page of Scripture.
When we catch true glimpse of glory, our eyes are widened and our heart is captivated—yet this is accompanied by shame and a flurry of piercing emotions or a simple course of feelings digested in silence. Why? Because just as your best flop shot looks clumsy in the face of Phil Mickelson’s virtuosity with the wedge, so are your very best efforts in an encounter with Christ who is the image of the invisible God (Colossians 1:15). His glory is of a beauty, holiness, meekness and power that cannot be appraised, but only praised, by us mere creatures.
If your heart has been gripped by Christ, you are most blessed indeed! Recipients of such inward sight, we could become quite conceited, but sin and continuously falling short frustrates and humbles our now malleable core. Take heart in the grace of God, for the Lord Jesus himself has given you his righteousness, an alien righteousness, covering your shame (Romans 5:19). His glory was counted yours on the cross, exceeding your genius by far, and he will faithfully bring you home in that Day, and sing and rejoice over you (Zephaniah 3:17)!
However, if you find your heart unmoved, perhaps the dissatisfaction of this world and the discordant music of your soul are stirring up a holy meeting. Perhaps the frustrations at your putting, the insulting jokes by your playing partners, or the string of birdies that could have been one more, will be a means of grace for Christ to demonstrate to you his profound glory and sufficiency. The Lord is gracious—pray unto him and fear not. The bark that awakens is a most sure glad tiding with wagging tail!
—
Isabelle Beisiegel
March 25, 2014
Copyright 2014 Links Players International
The Links Daily Devotional appears Monday-Friday at www.linksplayers.com.