Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another. For this comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit. (2 Corinthians 3:17-18, ESV)
What is the most beautiful golf course in the world? The answers are usually as diverse as the number of people asked—clearly, some subjectivity is inevitable.
Ask one golfer this question, and they might say Cypress Point; ask another, and they might mention Old Head in Ireland. By exploring a little further, we quickly discover the answers are usually based on personal experience.
Is it possible to name one course “The Most Beautiful Course in the World”? Probably not! But with a little flexibility, we can compile a list of strong contenders. This list won’t settle the debate; instead, it will likely spark further discussion. That’s what makes it interesting.
Sometimes, we turn to various golf magazines to define and decide what constitutes beauty. A recent article in a travel magazine listed the “Top 15 Most Beautiful Golf Courses in the World.” Their list included Adare Manor, Augusta National, Pebble Beach, Bandon Dunes, Old Head, Cypress Point, Coeur d’Alene…
What makes the debates more intriguing is asking, “Why?” For example, my friend might claim that Pebble Beach is the most beautiful course in the world, but then we find out he shot a 29 on the front nine. No wonder he argues that way.
If we asked Bill Rogers what the most beautiful course in the world is, he might say The Royal St. George’s Golf Club. That’s understandable since he won the 1981 Open there by four shots over Langer and Floyd.
Bill’s list of golf achievements is more than impressive, but none, at least on the horizontal level, were as transformative as becoming The Open Champion in 1981!
Looking back over the years of our lives, most of us can say there have been a few moments that radically changed the way we see life. Or more specifically, many of us could remember a moment that permanently transformed our lives.
The apostle Paul could definitely say that. Once an enemy of Christ, his life would never be the same after seeing the glory of God in Jesus Christ. In our text, Paul defends the faith he once sought to destroy.
His opponents’ minds were blinded [veiled] to the glory [beauty] of God shining in the face of Christ. Paul demonstrates that when someone turns to the Lord, the veil [blindness] is removed and they are transformed by beholding the beauty of God in the person of Jesus.
There is an old adage that says, “Beauty allures, ugliness repels.” With Paul, we could add, “If the beauty is transcendent, it transforms.”
For some, there have been moments when standing on the tee becomes more than just thinking about which club to hit or noticing the slope of the fairway or the contours of the green; the beauty of the landscape unexpectedly draws us upward.
In an instant, we are drawn upward and outward to sense the transcendence of something or someone breaking through, revealing that there is more to life than we previously realized.
One of those moments happened for me years ago when I looked out over Puget Sound from a stunningly beautiful golf course. As magnificent as that was, it pales in comparison to what Paul is talking about.
Among the many bold claims in Scripture, none is more provocative than this: Jesus Christ perfectly embodies beauty, and witnessing his beauty [glory] will radically and permanently change the direction of a person’s life.
For all the beauty we behold in Creation, Jesus Christ infinitely eclipses them all! Turn to him and be transformed.
Prayer: Lord, by your Spirit, open our eyes to see your beauty!