On Golf, Perfection and God

As I watched some of the Phoenix Open today, the thought hit me that golf is a game where striving for perfection is a constant. Then, I realized that I don't always enjoy playing golf with one of my closest friends. In 30 years of playing with him, neither me nor either of the other two guys in our foursome have beat him. Of course, it goes without saying that in his younger days, he carried a PGA pro card.....

I can't figure out whether I am just jealous of his accomplishments or hopeless about ever reaching his level of ability. These days, he probably doesnt play even as often as I do and yet he still beats me every time we get out there together.

I bring this up because it struck me today that a lot of us Christians probably feel somewhat this way about God. Think about it....He is perfect in every way and we can never achieve it. Not only Christians but those that are unchurched or non-believers may be turning their backs because of this very fact. The thing is though that the Lord never "shows off" His perfection. It just IS.

The fact is that there has never been nor will there ever be played a perfect game of golf by anyone. It was once said that nobody would ever want to play golf with a perfect golfer and based on that, the perfect golfer would thus give up the game. My friend loves the game as much as he ever did and has never given it up. Thank God that He hasn't either.

Have a blessed Sunday tomorrow!

Fat on Fat Tuesday

I was watching the festivities in New Orleans on the morning news and was intrigued by the hooplah that surrounds Fat Tuesday celebrations in New Orleans. I wondered how many of the celebrants knew the meaning and facts behind what they were doing.

Mardi Gras is French for "Fat Tuesday" referring to the practice of the last night of eating richer, fatty foods before the ritual fasting of the Lenten season which begins with Ash Wednesday. Ash Wednesday is a day of repentance and it marks the beginning of Lent. (Ashes were used in ancient times, according to the Bible, to express mourning. Dusting oneself with ashes was the penitent's way of expressing sorrow for sins and faults.) Lent is the 40 day period, according to the Bible, that Jesus was separated into the desert to fast and pray (during which He was tempted by satan).

Thus, we are called upon to contemplate during Lent our repentance and what that really means in our lives and the lives of others. As Lent ushers in the Easter season, let us all remember that Christianity is based on one single solitary thing....an event. An event that had never occurred before and one that has impacted the world profoundly and eternally unto this day and forever more. That event was not His death, but His RESURRECTION. It repaired and restored what had gone wrong in Eden, so long before. Your repentance and giving up anything for Lent is your acceptance of what happened as the life blood by which you have been saved!