HELLO, WORLD!

"We are therefore Christ's ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us." (2 Corinthians 5:20a, NIV)

I'm struck once again, as Tiger Woods won last week's PGA Championship at Southern Hills, that he is fulfilling the destiny foreseen by his late father, Earl. From the time Tiger was, well, from the time Tiger "was," his father saw in him something nobody could have seen in a mere child. Earl began to whisper in Tiger's ear that he would be the greatest thing golf had ever witnessed.

Early in Tiger's professional career, Earl began—to the critics' delight—to describe the "world mission" that Tiger would be on. Tiger, in lockstep with that vision, opened his first press conference as a professional with the now immortal words, "Hello, world!"

You see, Earl placed in the heart of Tiger something beyond mere golf. He painted a picture of a "world ambassador." He talked about Tiger's responsibilities to give back and out of that we see a Tiger Woods Foundation and so much more. It really is incredible the road Tiger is walking with regard to earthly accomplishment. It is truly hard to believe—but not for Tiger!

You see, the only issue here is this: Tiger believed what his father said about him. He had no reason to think that his father didn't have all the facts or that his father was merely dreaming or that his father was "off" a little bit in the old reasoning department. No, Tiger simply believed what his father said about him and that belief led to a systematic and carefully planned daily routine of discipline that may one day represent the greatest athletic achievement of all time, in any sport.

Now let me ask you this: Do you believe what your heavenly Father says about you? Do you question the picture painted by Him of your destiny? Do you think He is a little bit "off" in the reasoning department? Do you imagine your role as an "ambassador" to the world to be one of mere fanciful dreaming? Or for that matter, does that even stir desire in your heart?

I must admit that when I am daily aware of the confident expectations of my heavenly Father, I am animated in a very different way. When I view myself as a chosen one, part of a holy nation and even a member of a royal priesthood (being a priest in a biblical sense means getting access and privilege to cool places others can't go), I conduct myself differently. I'm no longer a pathetic sinner that is destined to lose, though I may and do sin on occasion. I am a son of a Father who dreams great dreams for me. Even—if you can imagine—greater dreams than those dreamed by Earl Woods. Now those are big dreams!

You might want to check out in more detail just what your heavenly Father says about your future. "Hello, world!"

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Jeffrey Cranford

August 16, 2007

Copyright 2007 Links Players International

The Links Daily Devotional appears Monday-Friday at www.linksplayers.com.