Golf & Grace

One of the things I love about golf is that every hole is a fresh start. Sure, you’re supposed to keep a cumulative score, but I try not to get so wrapped up in a total round (or I’d probably never go back on a course). One hole at a time gets me by just fine.

And no matter what happened on the last tee to green, I have found that I tee up every new ball just knowing this is going to be a good one. Back to zero. Clean slate. Anything is possible right here, right now.

And, to me, that feels a lot like grace. “Because of the LORD’s great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.” (Lamentations 3:22-23)

His mercies are new every morning. In fact — every moment.

God’s grace is sufficient to clear the scorecard of my past flubs and mis-hits and splashes and wanderings in the woods. Each moment is a clean ball. A new Goal. And a wide open fairway.

Amazing Grace, how sweet the sound. Kind of like the ping of a well-hit driver.

2 Responses to “Golf & Grace”

1. Maria says:

   September 18, 2011 at 6:05 pm

   Beth, I never thought about golf this way, but you are so right! I don’t keep a cumulative score when playing golf. I just look forward to the new hole… or a clean scorecard. Definitely moments full of grace.

   Reply
2. Anonymous says:

   September 12, 2011 at 2:30 pm

   …or like the sound of the ball hitting the bottom of the cup after the third stroke on a par three!!

   Reply