Monday I was asked to welcome our golfers to the JCPC Missions Golf Classic. That morning I began thinking about golf in light of our recent series of messages: Three Things That Will Last Forever. The three things we have talked about that were present from the beginning in the Garden of Eden are order, beauty, and abundance.* When sin and brokenness entered our world, we saw the opposite of these three in chaos, ugliness, and scarcity. Today, God calls us as Christians to extend God's order, beauty, and abundance in the world.

 But Monday I thought about those three things giving insight to this question: Why do so many of us enjoy golf? 
I think it may all go back to something deeply ingrained in us. At creation, God brought order out of chaos when God made the world. God then invited Adam and Eve to expand that order as they took care of the garden. Golf courses seem to me to be another place where we can see order extended in God's creation. Someone had to design the golf course so that others can enjoy playing outdoors in God's creation. Golf courses reflect order.
 
They also reflect beauty. Golf is one of the few sports that you have to play outside. When you do, you get to enjoy God's beautiful creation. In addition, there is beauty when someone hits a really good shot. Recently someone commented to me how amazing it is to attend a professional tournament and see a great golfer hit a shot that is truly a thing of beauty. (Occasionally, we may even do the same!)
 
Lastly, I talked about how golf courses are the result of abundance. Golf courses do not have to exist. Golf is something we do out of our abundance. It is something we enjoy with others. The folks who played golf Monday shared out of their abundance, so that others without the same abundance might simply survive. I thanked the golfers for sharing from their abundance. There is my answer as to why we enjoy golf so much - Golf reflects the order, beauty, and abundance of God's creation.
 
*Inspired by the book, Futureville, by Skye Jethani  

Prayer for Today

Creator God, we thank you that you give us order, beauty, and abundance in our world. Help each one of us to find at least one way today to extend that order, beauty, and abundance to one other person. We ask this in the strong name of Jesus the Christ. Amen.