Kevin Na did not set out to become the patron saint of every weekend duffer who’s ever sliced a smile into a no-cut cover or sent Mr. Spalding to a watery grave. But that’s exactly what he did.
When Na teed up on the par-four ninth in the Texas Open in San Antonio he was a skilled, if obscure, professional golfer. When he holed out sixteen strokes later, he was an icon of perseverance, honesty, and composure.
He shanked his tee shot into unplayable rough, took a one-stroke tariff, then fired his third shot into the same thicket. Electing to play this one, Na ventured into the bush where he whipped, whacked, hacked and smacked his way back onto the fairway lying thirteen. He pitched his approach shot onto the skirt of the green and two-putted for a double-quadruple bogey.
After that he fired three birdies on the back nine, parred everything else and finished with an eighty, or four under par if you could eliminate the ninth. Golfers everywhere cheered Na for his determination to complete the hole, his integrity in actually writing a number so large on his scorecard, and his toughness in regaining his composure.
Peter urges believers to rejoice when life lands them in the deep woods far off the fairway, and that for two reasons: For one thing, the fires of frustration far off the fairway strip away self and smelt us down to the indwelling presence of Christ. Even more importantly, we can remain unruffled in the rough because the successful outcome of our round has already been recorded. All of this happens, Peter reminds us, “through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead.” Our Lord ventured into the bunkers and hazards and wildernesses of life on our behalf, but also as our example, and emerged in triumph at the end.
As a result, our inheritance – our final score, our trophy, our prize – is “reserved in heaven.” Peter uses a Greek perfect tense that describes an action already done and impossible to undo. Our Lord is in the clubhouse and has signed our name to his scorecard in the indelible ink of his own saving blood.
Kevin Na became a hero, not by staying out of trouble but by staying in it until he overcame it. Jesus won our salvation not by avoiding the struggles you and I also face but by embracing them. So when you can’t see the fairway for the trees, don’t quit; keep swinging: you’re more likely to meet your Lord in the rough than on the green.
Fore!
Doug
Collect
God and Father of Our Lord Jesus Christ, your resurrected Your Son from the dead as an unshakable sign that our inheritance remains untouched even by the grave. Grant us grace to live this life as those who cannot lose the life to come, and to face life’s tests as those who cannot fail, that our very beings might bring You praise at the revelation of Jesus Christ, Your Son, Our Lord in whose name we pray, Amen.
Benediction
The Lord makes you hope in the risen Christ
So fear not: Your hope can ever fade.
The Lord makes you pass through the refining fires,
So fear not: You will be purified.
The Lord destines you to eternal praise
So fear not: You will be found in Him.
In the name of the Father,
And of the Son,
And of the Holy Spirit,
Amen.
No comments:
Post a Comment