Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me. Do not cast me from your presence or take your Holy Spirit from me. (Psalm 51:10-11, ESV)
By any measure, Jack Nicklaus is the greatest of all time. You might say, “Wait a minute, what about Tiger?” Right!
Endless discussions continue ad nauseam to determine who the G.O.A.T. is, focusing on tournament wins, majors won, top-ten finishes, and so on.
A good friend, who is skilled at deep dives into all things statistical, once convinced me that Tiger was the winner. Within a week, I saw another statistical comparison that had Jack running away with it.
I’m not the one to settle the debate, and I’m unaware of an Appellate Court for golf to which we can appeal for a ruling. Not to worry! In truth, most golfers enjoy listening to both sides present their cases.
Besides considering all the historical data, combining the stats for Amateur and Professional careers, and letting personal sentiment influence the debate, for me, Jack wins ‘by a nose.’
No doubt, the debate could go on ad infinitum. Playing around with hypotheticals—even if unlikely, what if Tiger makes another comeback, or what if Jack had turned a few of those ‘seconds’ into firsts? I know! I know!
Here is a hypothetical to ponder: What if ‘Fat Jack’ had continued to add more pounds to his girth? After losing 20-25 pounds, Jack went on record saying, “I don’t feel I’d be here now if it weren’t for taking off that weight.”
At 5’10”, Jack dropped from 210 lbs. to 185 lbs. Historical records show that ‘Fat Jack’ used an early version of Weight Watchers and engaged in “speed golf”—running between shots with four or five clubs— to shed his excess weight and become a leaner version of himself.
ChatGPT reports, “Jack Nicklaus indeed underwent a remarkable transformation, shedding the ‘Fat Jack’ persona and emerging as the iconic ‘Golden Bear.’”
Transformations like these are common. Many stories can be collected and shared about major changes made by professional athletes who adopted rigorous routines to reach new heights.
In today’s interview, Matt Vogt, the dentist from Indiana, and one of fifteen amateurs who qualified for the 2025 U.S. Open, tells his story.
Fondly recalling how his mom took him to church as a kid, he, like many of us, drifted away from Christ during high school and college. However, after dental school, Matt recalled a time when a crisis of meaning changed the trajectory of his life.
Then, being surrounded by men who gathered for fellowship and Bible study led to a significant transformation in his life.
Watching someone reach the crossroads of life, pause to consider their options, and then make the tough decision to choose “the road less traveled” makes for great storytelling.
Changing body types, although challenging, is possible. Giving up bad habits for ones that improve your life is tough but achievable. Abandoning vices for moral reform is commendable. But changing one’s heart is not just improbable; it is impossible!
Only the Resurrected Jesus, by the power of the Holy Spirit, can transform our lives from within. Only Christ, the one who conquered the grave, can, in sovereign power, transform our hearts.
Outward moral reform is, indeed, possible! But creating new affections from our heart is impossible without Christ, for whom “all things are possible.”
In today’s Psalm, King David, after making a mess of his life, prays, “Create in me a clean heart.” He uses the Hebrew word ‘bara,’ the same word used in Genesis, referring to God creating the world ex nihilo—out of nothing.
Only God can create something out of nothing, whether it’s the external world we inhabit or the internal world of our hearts.
Prayer: Jesus! Transform my heart!