God On The Golf Course…

11-10am

This is one of those blogs that I have had in mind for a while – it has been on the back-burner since this incident happened.  I pondered it a bit and have thanked the Lord for His protection.

It was like this: a few Saturdays ago, it was a beautiful sunny day and Mike had booked a spot to play in a competition at Simonstown Golf Club. Our tee off time was early, which meant that there were a number of people teeing off after us. What you need to know about Simonstown is that it is a 9 hole golf course with limited space and so there is a lot of criss-crossing of players across the fairways. When it’s a busy golfing day, best be on your guard for flying golf balls.

The fifth fairway is a place where balls land from two directions, from the 4th hole and from the 5th. But once you get to the 5th green, you are safe. The 5th green is in a corner of the course, below and to the left of the 4th tee box. When someone tees off from the 4th, you expect to see the ball about 50 metres to the right of the green and way above you. That’s what usually happens.

On this particular day, I was standing on the bank just above the green. The guys were on the green about to putt. It was warm and I was in the sun. Generally, you stand still while someone is putting, so as not to distract them. I suddenly had an urge to move out of the sun to the shade, so walking swiftly, before one of the players putted, I moved to the fence side of the hole and stood on my own in the shade. Seconds later, a mis-hit, stray ball shanked from the 4th tee bounced onto our green and landed against the fence. It’s line was right through where I had been standing on the bank. If I hadn’t moved, I may have been hit pretty hard by a ball in full flight.

Wow. I stood amazed, grateful for the urge I had to seek the shade. It took me to a momentary realm of realisation that God is always with us; that He is always at work. Even when we don’t even think of Him, He is there. Even when we are faithless, He is faithful. His hand is always upon us. He never misses a thing. God is on the golf course. He is in the jail cell. He is in church. He is in your car. He is in your bedroom, in your lounge and in your garden. He is next to you at your desk, at your workplace, at your braai, on your yacht. He is with you while you watch the soccer, while you surf the net. He is with you in the sea and on the road. He sees all that happens to you. He never misses a thing. If I had been hit, He would have been there too…. a silent witness to all that happens. I’m glad I wasn’t hit. I’m glad I was protected by Him. He has more work for me to do!

But if something bad happens to me or my family, as it has in the past,  I know that God knows and He is there and He works it for good. Nothing happens to me without His presence, His permission and His purpose. Sometimes bad things happen. He never lets us go. He is with us. I can rest content in that knowledge and not live in fear of the unknown. And you can too!

God bless you!

Keep the smile going.

In His Grip,

Helga xx 🙂

Gratitude Pic…off to caddy for Mike today…