Kathleen Murphy claims that golf saved her life....
Here’s her story in her own words: “Six years ago, when I was 58, I was playing in the Tuesday-morning women's league at Exmoor Country Club just south of Lake Forest, Ill. … On the long par-4 16th we all hit our drives to the same area in the fairway. I was first to hit. I smacked my dependable 3-wood pin-high but 15 yards right of the green, and the ball disappeared as it settled into the rough. Anticipating that looking for my ball might delay play, I sidestepped to the rough and began walking forward to get a head start. The group's next shot, struck by Lois Burns (with whom I was playing for the first time), was a shanked 3-wood that flew sideways and hit me directly in the back of the head. I can still remember how the sound exploded in my ears.”
Immediately Murphy’s teammates loaded her into the golf cart and carried her to the Emergency Room at the nearby Highland Park Hospital. A CAT scan and an MRI confirmed that her skull was not fractured, but the doctor began asking Murphy some questions: “Have you been experiencing headaches, bouts of dizziness, etc.” Murphy said no.
The doctor was asking her these questions because the scans had revealed an apple-sized tumor that occupied nearly the entire right side of her brain. The doctors estimated that the tumor had been growing there for perhaps 15 years. More tests revealed related problems and immediate threats to her health, so surgery was performed.
Murphy reports: “The surgery and my recovery were successful. Six weeks later I walked down the aisle [at her son’s wedding], my hair styled ably to hide the scar, and was followed by a glowing bride.” *
Kathleen Murphy claims that golf saved her life, because it was only after being hit in the head with a golf ball that tests were performed that led to the discovery of the life-threatening tumor.
What will it take for YOU to consult the Word of God? Curiosity? Encouragement from a friend? A tragedy in your life?
Whatever it takes, it needs to happen because God’s Word reveals our true TERMINAL condition: we are all sinners, desperately in need of spiritual “surgery,” because “the wages of sin is death” (Romans 6:23).
But the Word of God also reveals that the Great Physician – Jesus Christ, God’s Son – has provided the means for our life-saving surgery. He paid the price for our sins by dying on the cross in our place (Ephesians 1:7; 2 Corinthians 5:21). Then He made new life – and eternal life! – possible for us by being raised from the dead (1 Peter 1:3-4).
The Great Physician removes the “tumor” of sin from our lives and gives us new life (and eternal life!) when we: place our faith and trust in Him (Acts 16:30-31), turn from sin in repentance (Acts 17:30-31) confess Jesus before men (Romans 10:9-10), and are baptized (immersed) into Christ (Acts 2:38).
DON'T WAIT... for an errant golf ball to strike YOU on the head before you go to the Word of God and learn of your true condition as well as the Savior’s remedy. Allow Him to perform the life-saving surgery that you need TODAY. He will save your life, eternally.
Won’t YOU?
Source:
- David A. Sargent, minister for the Church of Christ at Creekwood in Mobile, Alabama, is also the editor of an electronic devotional entitled Living Water." To learn more about this excellent resource contact David via their website: http://www.creekwoodcc.org
* Kathleen Murphy, “Golf Saved My Life” in Golf Digest – www.golfdigest.com. 10/8/12. Many thanks to Gary Davis of Lavonia, GA, for sharing this article with us!
No comments:
Post a Comment