He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation. For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created through him and for him. (Colossians 1:15-16 ESV).
Lorne Rubenstein is one of my favorite golf writers. He co-wrote “The 1997 Masters: My Story” with Tiger Woods and “Moe & Me: Encounters with Moe Norman, Golf’s Mysterious Genius.” Tiger and Moe. Now there’s an interesting twosome.
His greatest work, in my view, is “A Season in Dornoch” (2001). The book inspired me to spend summers after retirement in Scotland.
Three years ago, Lorne was speaking in the Royal Dornoch clubhouse. I parked on the front row, hoping to meet him and grab some wisdom about his beloved Dornoch—both the town and the links.
I took notes, knowing it would be worth a memory. Last week, I ran across my scribbled notes in an old file. Lorne had said, “…the door to the invisible must be made visible”. I had also jotted down, “art, theatre, music, culture, more than a sport”.
Since I could not remember much more, I emailed Lorne, hoping he might explain why my spine tingled when I heard “the door to the invisible must be made visible”.
He emailed me back, and I quote him with permission:
“As I recall, I was referring to what art can do for the viewer. This is what Dornoch does for me as I roam the links. It provides a door into a sanctuary where images and feelings hitherto invisible make themselves known. I recall that the few words exploded in my head and awakened me to the spiritual feeling Dornoch can provide.
I can feel it here as I write on a snowy night in Toronto, far from the place that means so much to me…the door to the invisible opening as wide as the panorama from the 7th tee down and across the links.”
Lorne is right. Some golf experiences are capable of being a ‘sanctuary where images and feelings hitherto invisible make themselves known.’ Pity the millions who never believe in the ‘Invisible’, who have never entered the ‘Sanctuary.’
In some ways, this is the story of Scripture. In the Old Testament, Moses saw God “face-to-face”, yet “endured as seeing Him who is invisible” (Hebrews 11:27 ESV).
In the New Testament, Paul’s primary message about Jesus can be boiled down to this: “He is the image of the invisible God…” (Colossians 1:15 ESV).
The great apostle must have preached that message on his missionary journeys, “We look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal” (2 Corinthians 4:16-18 ESV).
Paul banked everything on this unseen, invisible God, perhaps because a very visible and blinding Light had knocked him down. “But I received mercy … that in me, as the foremost [sinner], Jesus Christ might display his perfect patience as an example to those who were to believe in him for eternal life. To the King of the ages, immortal, Invisible, the only God, be honor and glory forever and ever. Amen” (1 Timothy 1:15-17 ESV).
So, God sent Jesus to earth because “the door to the invisible must be made visible”. Jesus even said, “I am the Door” (John 10:7). So, I believe that this once-invisible God is now visible in Jesus, whom I see with eyes of faith, walking down the fairways of life with us. Do you believe?
PRAYER: Thank you for Jesus, who showed us the Invisible God. Amen.