Since the children have flesh and blood, he too shared in their humanity so that by his death he might break the power of him who holds the power of death—that is, the devil—and free those who all their lives were held in slavery by their fear of death. (Hebrews 2:14-15, NIV)
Many of golf’s architectural projects in recent years have been undertaken in order to reconcile the past and the present. Sometimes these are restorative projects, where numerous updates or encroachments through the years have been undone in order to bring the course back to the original designer’s intent. In other cases, the updating is done to make the course more challenging and fair for today’s golfers by repositioning bunkers and softening the slopes on fast 21st century greens.
Any real dispute between past and present is a function of time’s passing. There’s no rancor between the 1920s and the 2020s, say. If only the same were true when it came to the things that divide people—the arguments and offenses that necessitate reconciliation if the relationship is to continue.
What Peter and the other disciples knew was that the myth ended with Jesus.Greater still is the divide between God and his creation that began with the sin of Adam and Eve in the garden. Here a rift was dug between the holy Creator and his now profane children. The first and deadliest of all viruses was this spiritual one. For it, there is still no cure.
No, not a cure where our sins suddenly stop, but a covering. The blood of Jesus washes away our sin. By it, we are reconciled to God.
Now step back and review these words you’ve just read. Adam and Eve in the garden. God and humanity torn apart. The cleansing blood of Christ. God and humanity brought back together. Laid out that way, we might forgive those who, apart from the Holy Spirit, look at all we believe and cry, “Myth!” Even the prophets of old, Peter wrote, could not see clearly the things for which they searched intently (1 Peter 1:10-11).
But what Peter and the other disciples knew was that the myth ended with Jesus. Here was a man like them in flesh but altogether different in spirit and in purpose. Jesus came to shed his blood, because this was God’s way of doing things. Nothing, not even a drop, was wasted along the way. Jesus came to preach and enact the only avenue back to God. Through him we are reconciled to our Creator.
—
Jeff Hopper
January 15, 2021
Copyright 2021 Links Players International
The Links Daily Devotional appears Monday-Friday at www.linksplayers.com.
OTHER DEVOTIONS IN THIS SERIES
All We Have Gained 2: Understanding
All We Have Gained 3: Belief
All We Have Gained 4: Confidence
All We Have Gained 5: Comfort
All We Have Gained 6: Strength
All We Have Gained 7: Conquerors
All We Have Gained 8: Life