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JUNE 18, 2010
OUR GREAT GOD
Great is the Lord and most worthy of praise; his greatness no one can fathom. (Psalm 145:3, NIV)
I live close enough to Pebble Beach to have gotten caught up in the conversation several times in recent weeks:
“Are you going over for the Open?”
Honestly, I’m not a fan of fighting for parking, peering over the shoulders of spectators five and
six deep, and hearing distant roars only to wonder, What was that about? I can see so much more of
the action, including the replays from when I “step out for a moment,” when I’m watching the broadcast on TV.
But let this be said loud and clear: I have nothing against Pebble Beach. I have made a habit of going over for the
Champions Tour event each of the last several years. There are no crowds on the opening day of the event, and the golf course is as it is the rest of the year. The sun sets in all its pastel glory, and
the views to the water are unobstructed by massive grandstands.
Because, you know, the water is what it’s all about. When fairways meet ocean shores, everything else in golf
pales. We have some fine courses here a couple of hours inland, but they all fade into a humble spot far below courses that touch the water here in California: Pebble Beach, Torrey Pines, Half Moon Bay,
Cypress Point. Those who have traveled as well to Bandon Dunes or Whistling Straights or Kiawah Island or the shores of Ireland know just what I’m talking about. And have you seen the picture of
New Zealand’s Cape Kidnappers? Oh, my!
There may be no place like home for other folks. But for golfers, if your home isn’t a course on the water, there
are many places far better than home!
Which serves as a powerful lesson for us all. Look to God. Look to the greatness of God. It puts so many other things
in perspective. He is far better than we are, something our self-loving spirits need to remember—often.
Pastor John Piper has noted that we all need to plant ourselves in transcendent places, places that engulf us and bring
us down to size. Stand on the rim of the Grand Canyon and then try to match wits with God! Sometimes a vacation can feel pretty self-indulgent. But if we’re willing to venture to a place that makes
us feel small, we’re on the right track—the track of being overwhelmed (and refreshed) by the unfathomable wonder of God.
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Jeff Hopper
June 18, 2010
Copyright 2010 Links Players International
The Links Daily Devotional appears Monday-Friday at www.linksplayers.com.
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