Lost Golf Balls and Luke 15

Last night I had a blast golfing with a pastor buddy of mine from Canada. We decided to take advantage of the Iron Valley twilight rate which made us the last two golfers on the course for the evening. It was there I learned two important lessons.

The first thing I learned relates to golf carts. Did you know that when a golf course is designed out of an old quarry there are many steep hills you must drive your cart down? Did you know that some golf courses actually warn you about steep hills, sharp corners and invite you to take them slow? Did you know you can actually hit the brakes so hard on a golf cart that you come to a squealing stop leaving rubber on the cart path? These are questions I got answers to last night as I drove. (Note: This is also the golf buddy that I almost flipped a golf cart with when we took a very steep hill a little to sharp a few years back. He had to jump out, stand on the side and balance us out as I came down the hill. We have a lot of laughs together.)

The second thing I learned related to lost golf balls. I don't think I have ever lost so many (or found so many) balls in one round. I am hitting my driver off the tee so poorly I heard the wooded animals yelling fore as the ball released from the tee blocks. Seriously, by the middle of the first nine holes, I was getting frustrated with my constant walks into the high grass, prickly bushes and wooded areas. Because nobody was behind us, I didn't feel the pressure to move quickly and I worked and looked hard for my golf balls.

As this pattern continued for most of the evening, I could not help but think about Luke 15 and the individuals who were so committed to finding that which was lost. Jesus used this illustration to give us a vivid picture of how hard He chases us and desires to find those who are spiritual lost. With this in mind, I was challenged with the truth that there are times in my life where I'm more passionate about finding golf balls then I am seeking out and sharing the truth of God's redemptive plan to lost people. It was a good reminder for me to work just as hard in this endeavor as I did last night looking for balls.

I'm thinking I have a new story for Luke 15 - The parable of the lost golf ball.