What does the Christian faith have in common with golf? Quite a bit, actually.

For golfers who might not understand Texas talk, let me put the advice … in a different way: Once you address the golf ball, hitting it has got to be the most important thing in your life at that moment. Shut out all thoughts other than picking out a target and taking dead aim at it. Harvey Penick, “Harvey Penick’s Little Red Book”

The late, great golf teacher Harvey Penick is famous for his advice about taking “dead aim” when hitting a golf ball. For all you golf enthusiasts out there, you know just how valuable that advice is, and perhaps you also know that it takes a lot of mental concentration and blocking out negative thoughts when lining up a shot, not to mention worrying about your swing mechanics or the water hazard in front of you. The goal is to block out every thought but one—taking dead aim at the target you have picked out to hit. You can practice your mechanics all you want on the driving range, but when you’re on the golf course, every negative thought should be blocked out and you should be thinking about only one thing: taking dead aim.

For I resolved to know nothing while I was with you except Jesus Christ and Him crucified. St. Paul to the Corinthians

I was thinking about all this as we continue in the Lenten season and focus on our Lord’s passion and death as He went to the cross for our redemption. St. Paul declared to the Corinthians that he would know nothing among them “except Jesus Christ and him crucified.” I am sure that St. Paul had many distractions in his ministry, but he made it clear that preaching Christ crucified was his constant goal. People—sinners—needed to hear the Good News that Jesus had died for their sins because He loved them and that now—in other words from St. Paul—they had “peace with God.” St Paul didn't let his personal problems or the many challenges of those early Christian congregations dissuade him from preaching the true and glorious message of salvation. He took “dead aim” at the central message of the Christian faith and didn't worry about anything else. For, as our confessors said long ago, the true church exists where “the Gospel is rightly taught and the Sacraments are rightly administered.”

Nor did Jesus allow Himself to be distracted from going to Jerusalem to carry out His mission of salvation. He took dead aim at the powers of death and hell and overcame them through His atoning sacrifice on the cross and His glorious resurrection from the dead. He set His face toward Jerusalem despite the protests of His disciples and their misunderstanding of the nature of His ministry. The most important thing in His life was giving His life for us that we might have eternal life.

So as we journey through this Lenten season—as well as through life—remember to keep your focus on the most important thing in life: knowing Jesus Christ and Him crucified. This great truth sets our minds and spirits free to enjoy life as God would have us enjoy it, that our joy might be complete. And for those of you who spend a little time on the golf course, next time you’re taking dead aim trying to hit your target, just remember that golf can indeed teach us a little something about what matters most in life.

Rev. Ron Nickel is Vacancy Pastor at Saint John’s Lutheran Church. You can reach him in the church office, by email at nickel@StJohnsFC.org or at 970-482-5316.