I Witnessed A Miracle On The Golf Course

I witnessed a miracle on the golf course yesterday.  No, I didn't get a hole in one.  For those who are aware of my golf skills, just a simple birdie would be a miracle.  However, I'm not sure I even managed a bogie during this round.  I didn't hole one from a 100 yards out. I didn't drive the ball 300 yards and I didn't break a hundred.  This "miracle" had little to do with me except, I was simply blessed to watch it happen. 

It had been 6 months since we last played together.  My golf buddy Carl, had walked through a 6 month period that I would wish on no one.  Back in December, his body was hammered and hammered hard.  When he went in the hospital initially, it seemed no big deal.  I thought he would be in and out in a few days.  But, things turned south in a hurry.  The days turned to weeks, and the weeks turned to months.  I would visit him then walk out to my car and cry.  My faith was challenged every time I would see him. I would walk in a man of faith to pray for him, then I would see him laying there and my faith would take a hit.  I knew he was a fighter, and I was praying he had just a little fight left.  When the doctors had done all they could do, we were left with the reality that its all up to God now. So, we just determined to trust God.  We prayed and we trusted God.

Eventually, he woke up.  And day after day, he continued to improve.  Each time I would visit, he was getting a step closer to going home.  Then, he came home.  He still had a long way to go, but he was home after more than two months. Week after week, he continued to improve and build his strength.  Then, he picked up his golf club, stepped into the back yard and began taking some swings.  He would tell me from time to time how many swings he was up to. Then one day, I got the text. "Want to play golf next week? I think I am about up for it."

Just a few months ago, we were praying he would live.  We were believing God that he would walk out of the hospital.  It was all playing back in my mind as I sat there looking at that text.  I thought to myself, whatever I have planned for next week will have to take a back seat to this moment. I assured him I would make it happen.

When I walked outside that morning the weather was incredible.  Absolutely perfect weather for a round of golf.  It was if God, Himself was joining us in our celebration.  I walked up to the tee box and did what I normally do. I hit it into the trees.  Carl then stepped up to the tee box.  He teed up the ball and went through his pre-swing ritual.  I stood there taking in the moment. This was huge.  This was a miracle, I was watching.  God had answered my prayers.  Not just my prayers but the prayers of his family and friends.  There was a few times on this journey when I struggled to see this day as a reality.  But, here it was, playing out right before me.  I took out my phone and snapped a picture, so that I would forever have a memory of this moment.  I didn't care if he hit it ten feet, pulled it left, or pushed it right.  All that mattered in this moment, was that my buddy Carl was back on the golf course. He stepped up to the ball, started his back swing, and then let it rip. When the ball came to a stop it was in the fairway! I chuckled as I thought, you couldn't write a better script than this. 

We played on from there.  With each hole, our scores became increasingly irrelevant.  To be honest, I threw the scorecard in the trash immediately following the round without even adding up the score.  This day, it wasn't about pars or bogies.  It wasn't about staying out of the trees and sand traps.  It wasn't about making good putts or pounding out long drives.  This day wasn't about winning and losing and it wasn't even about how you played the game.  Today was about just playing the game.  It was about just getting on the golf course and taking your swings. It was about just showing up, strapping on the golf glove, lacing up the golf shoes, teeing up the ball, and just swinging the club. This round of golf was not about golf balls, golf clubs, and a golf course.  This round of golf was about life and about being alive.  It was about staring death in the face and saying, "I win!". It was about a God who is real.  A God who answers prayer.  A God who has power over death, hell, and the grave.  This round of golf was about so much more than a simple sport.  St. Irenaeus once said, "the glory of God is man fully alive." If that's true, then this day was about seeing that very glory of God. For on this day I witnessed that very miracle, because my golf buddy Carl, was and is fully alive!