I have seen all the works which have been done under the sun, and behold, all is vanity and striving after wind. What is crooked cannot be straightened, and what is lacking cannot be counted. (Ecclesiastes 1:14-15)
Reverand Billy Graham was an avid golfer who once observed, “I’ve never seen the wind, I see the effects of the wind, but I’ve never seen the wind, there is a mystery to it.”
Reverend Graham also called a golf course “an island of peace in a world often full of confusion and turmoil.”
Have you ever played golf on a day with constant wind, gusts up to 40 mph, and felt as if you would never get the ball under control? When I have, I find that the “golf island” is no longer peaceful.
The Links Staff descended upon La Quinta to gather for our annual retreat in April, and on day one, we played at Tradition with wind conditions that would make West Texas look like a breezy afternoon.
The manmade creation of a magnificent golf course set at the base of the La Quinta mountains, God’s creation, humbled many of us as we battled through changing temperatures and balls blown offline by the wind.
The windy day and its effect on ball flight brought to mind the opening verse about striving after wind. The effects of the wind on a golf ball’s flight are just another challenge to an already difficult game.
Downwind makes you look like a long ball champion, into the wind may have you barely past the red tees, and a small cut or fade will have you missing fairways or greens by what seems like a mile.
King Solomon tried everything and achieved a great deal, only to find that apart from God, nothing made him happy. Do you feel restless, dissatisfied, or have a “holy discontent”?
Here are some questions to ask yourself:
- Why am I so tired and unfulfilled if I am in God’s will?
- What is the meaning of life?
- When I look back on it all, will I be happy with my accomplishments?
- Why do I feel burned out, disillusioned, and dry?
- What is to become of me?
Soloman tests our faith, challenging us to find true and lasting meaning in God and his purposes for the world. Solomon challenges us to seek and find wisdom in God’s word and gain his perspective on all things.
The prophet Hosea uses the illustration of plowing a field.
Hosea 10:12: “Sow with a view to righteousness, Reap in accordance with kindness; Break up your fallow ground, For it is time to see the Lord until He comes to rain righteousness on you.
Maybe you have a hardened heart, and you need to break up the unplowed ground of your heart by acknowledging your sins and receiving God’s forgiveness and guidance.
Perhaps the winds of life have pushed your focus into a direction that you need to correct with a different spin. Whatever may be throwing you off course, seek wisdom from the biblical foundation of our Lord and Savior. He will make your paths straight and give you joy and peace.
Prayer: Father, as the winds of life push, keep us focused on this straight path of righteousness.