Out of the Sand Trap

But Ruth replied, “Don’t urge me to leave you or to turn back from you. Where you go I will go, and where you stay I will stay. Your people will be my people and your God my God.”

– Ruth 1:16

There are few do-overs in the game of life. But sometimes there are in the game of golf. For example, if a golfer slices their shot into the woods or a deep sand trap, they might ask their opponent for a mulligan — a chance to try again.

Wouldn’t it be nice if we could get a mulligan every time we fail in life? Like the time we spoke rudely to a co-worker or cut off another motorist in traffic. Or when we gossiped about someone at church or “forget” to report certain income on our tax forms. Better yet, how about a do-over for that night (25 years ago) when we shoplifted on a friend’s dare?

Big or small, our failures can weigh heavy on our hearts. How great it would be if we could just erase those ugly episodes and start over with a clean slate. Yes, we can all use a few mulligans.

The apostle Peter could relate to this sentiment. Although he was one of Jesus’ earliest followers, witnessed his Master’s miracles, and even walked on water (until his faith gave out), this bold individual known as The Rock failed the test more than once. For example, Matthew 26 tells us about Peter’s declaration to stand by Jesus — and even die, if necessary — no matter what. But only hours after the Savior’s betrayal and arrest, Peter denied even knowing him. And not just once, but three times!

That’s sobering stuff. But the good news is that God understands our human limitations. What’s more, his steadfast love for us brings redemption.

“If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness,” we read in 1 John.

And then there's this reassuring promise from Proverbs:

“He who conceals his sins does not prosper, but whoever confesses and renounces them finds mercy.”

It’s when we desperately need a mulligan to erase our failures — whether we’re on or off the golf course — that we can always count on God’s undeserved kindness. We just need to confess our shortfalls to Jesus in faith. The result is a clean scorecard: a complete and total do-over.

“How far has the Lord taken our sins from us?” the Psalmist asks. “Farther than the distance from east to west!”

 

A Higher Purpose

For just as the body is one and has many members, and all the members of the body, though many, are one body, so it is with Christ.

– 1 Corinthians 12:12

According to the Retail TouchPoints website, Amazon and its Amazon Marketplace vendors sell over 350 million products — and each one has an intended purpose. 

People are also designed with an intended purpose or calling. And when it comes to Christ-followers like you and me, the Bible reveals that our Creator has given us certain gifts, talents, and resources for advancing his kingdom on Earth. For example, singers and musicians might use their gifts to lead Sunday morning worship. And accountants, bookkeepers, and office managers can focus their talents on helping the church operate efficiently. Likewise, those same gifts and talents have applications in the secular world, which can also help identify their owner’s purpose or calling.

Have you found yours?

If not, your search should begin with regular prayer, Bible study, and discernment — the ongoing functions of living, thinking, and acting to distinguish between right and wrong — and the essential from the secondary. Meanwhile, your daily circumstances, trials, and crises also blend into the mix. But it’s your service that often reveals the answer. That’s because we’re all called to be Jesus’ hands and feet in our community … and across the globe. It’s no coincidence that Believers who complete a mission trip or other acts of service say that they gained far more from the experience than those they sought to help. 

“In the same way, the Son of Man did not come to be served,” explains Jesus. “He came to serve others and to give his life as a ransom for many people."

With that in mind, let’s ask God to reveal his higher purpose for us — and then turn our faith into words and deeds that can change the world.

Good Enough

“Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit of life has set you free from the law of sin and death."

– Romans 8:1-2

How would you label yourself with a single word? Would you say generous, energetic, or perhaps successful?

How about broken?

The fact is that we’re all broken in one way or another. But the good news for Christ-followers is that we worship a Creator who truly understands. And whether we're the victim or the victimizer in our shattered state, God's grace is enough to overcome it.

What’s grace? 

It’s God's blessings to undeserving people like you and me. There's nothing we can do to earn it. Instead, we just need to accept it, embrace it, and live it with transformed lives through our faith in Jesus. Grace is also what keeps us together when everything is coming apart. In 2 Corinthians, the apostle Paul wrote about his own brokenness and how God answered his prayers through the power of grace:

“… Three times I begged the Lord for it to leave me, but his reply has been, ‘... My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.’ Therefore, I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me."

God knew our names before the world was formed. He also knew when and where we’d be born, what sort of lives we’d lead, and when we’d die. Moreover, he knew that we’d need a Savior. That’s because we've all fallen short (sinned) against his perfect standards and can never save ourselves from the resulting judgment we deserve. So, God chose to do it himself by personally living out the human experience on Earth through his Son, Jesus Christ.

As God with us, Jesus understands our sorrows, shortcomings, and brokenness. And he’s also promised Believers that he’ll never leave them or forget them. Because, when everything inevitably fails and we’re not good enough, God always is.

Nothing Succeeds Like Success

In everything he did he had great success, because the Lord was with him.

– 1 Samuel 18:14

Climbing the career ladder, beating tight deadlines, and closing the deal are all marks of success in Western society. What’s more, millions of Americans skip or cut short their well-earned vacations because they’re afraid to fall behind at work. They think they just can’t find the time in their busy schedules.

But is that what success is all about? 

Jesus had only three years to complete his mission of saving the world from the penalty of sin. He cured disease, raised the dead, and even calmed raging storms with just a word. With such a full calendar, it seems like Jesus would have little or no time to socialize. But the Bible tells us that he did make a special effort to enjoy quality time with those who mattered most to him. And more than 2,000 years later, it’s safe to say that his ministry was a successful one.

We can read in Luke’s Gospel about Jesus’ visit to the home of his friends Martha and Mary. While Martha busily prepared the food and straightened the house for the gathering, her sister Mary decided to take a few minutes and listen to the Savior’s message. Martha soon became upset with Mary’s attitude and complained to Jesus about the apparent injustice. But instead of scolding Mary, Jesus commended her for choosing the most important thing: Quality time with him.

It was Mary who succeeded that day. But what’s success for modern-day Christ-followers like you and me? Let’s remember that we’re called to be Jesus’ hands and feet on earth while we wait for his return. Until then, God wants us to help prepare his Kingdom by making the most of our talents, gifts ... and time. And it’s by adopting a mindset and lifestyle of service that we’ll become more like Christ:

“In the same way, the Son of Man did not come to be served,” Jesus explains. “He came to serve others and to give his life as a ransom for many people."

As Believers, we can rest assured that our worth comes from what Jesus has already done for us. Let’s never forget this triumphant passage from the apostle Paul’s letter to Christ-followers in Ephesus:

“For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith — and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God — not by works, so that no one can boast. For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.”

That's what success is all about.