“This 50th year will be a JUBILEE for you.” (Leviticus 25:11)
Welcome to my birthday party! I was born March 18, 1951.
Ten years later, my father took up golf at age 44. He had watched Arnie win the Masters on TV. Soon thereafter, the curse began for me. Mom dropped me off at a lighted par-3 course with rubber tees. I rented a 3-5-7-9 iron set, plus putter. I played over a hundred holes a day with my bad baseball grip. I was addicted to the smell of mown spring grass.
My dear mother had not smelled that same grass, so she paid for me to take flute lessons when I really needed golf lessons. The Vardon grip and the flute grip were not compatible, so I became mediocre at both.
But February 6, 1970, was an even better day. I was born again. Thus, I celebrated last month my 50th spiritual birthday!
In Leviticus we learn that God decreed each 50th year as a holy year known as the JUBILEE. (It’s not capitalized like this in Scripture, but it helps to get my attention and probably yours, too.) Read Leviticus 25 to learn all about it.
“Set this year apart as holy, a time to proclaim freedom throughout the land for all who live there. It will be a jubilee year for you…” (Leviticus 25:10, NLT)
The JUBILEE was a year of freedom from debt and restoration of rights. Everybody gets a huge mulligan in the 50th year! A clean scorecard!
Everybody gets a huge mulligan in the 50th year! A clean scorecard!So, I declare in faith that 2020 will be a JUBILEE year. What should happen in 2020?
2020 should be a year of Sabbath. The Lord showed me that I have retired but not really rested. So, JUBILEE must include Sabbath rest, prayer, and slow preparation for the next seven years. It may mean cancellation of trips or events already planned. The coronavirus has already made that happen.
2020 should be a year of Celebration. The Lord showed me the joy of the past 50 years. I have written a lengthy summary for my family of what’s happened these 50 years, hoping they will know our story and celebrate with us.
2020 should be a year of Harvest. The Lord showed me that it is no accident that we recently moved to a golf community near Daphne, Alabama, which is called the Jubilee City. This is one of only two places in the world where an awesome oceanic phenomenon takes place each summer, called a JUBILEE! According to Wikipedia,
During a jubilee many species of crab, shrimp, flounder and other large fish leave deeper waters and swarm—in large numbers and high intensity—in shallow coastal areas of the Mobile Bay. A jubilee is a celebrated event which attracts large crowds, drawn by the promise of abundant and easy to catch seafood.
Fish literally jump out of the sea into buckets or nets. In 2020, fishers of men will find an abundant harvest. Lost souls looking for spiritual oxygen will come to the surface and jump into the nets. It will be a spiritual JUBILEE.
My final confirmation came through Fadhli, my young Indonesian friend who plays on the university golf team at St. Andrews in Scotland. Last week he won his match 7&6 with a walk off ace on the thirteenth hole.
Where? The Jubilee Course at St. Andrews.
Okay, Lord, I hear you. 2020 will be a Year of JUBILEE.
—
Tim Philpot
March 18, 2020
Copyright 2020 Links Players International
The Links Daily Devotional appears Monday-Friday at www.linksplayers.com.
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