Christmas, Easter, and a Mulligan…
Years ago, over a Thanksgiving holiday, we took our three kids (all under age 10) to Carmel Valley Ranch for a golfing vacation. I was a golfer attempting to woo the rest of my family into the game. We spent time out on the driving range hitting balls. Kirsten and the kids each had their moments of success, connecting with the ball and sending it flying across the range. On one of our last days, we played 18 holes. On one of the holes, all the kids pounded their drives out into the fairway except for our oldest son, Hunter. His tee shot sliced off into the trees and he was pretty discouraged. I told him to go ahead and take another shot, take a Mulligan. He was relieved to do just that. You don’t want to end a golf vacation on a bad shot.
Thanksgiving fades quickly into Christmas, often in a whirlwind of activity. If we’re not careful, we might miss the profound wonder of the season. If we take time to pause, we may see past the commercialism, the gifts, the chaos of the season. Beyond it all lies a humble stable, where a baby was born. A handful of local shepherds from the nearby village were out watching their flocks that same night, only to be visited by thousands of angels singing about this new baby, born in their own neighborhood. Why all the fuss? Why the angelic choir?
The baby was named Emmanuel, which means, “God with us.” Was this some kind of blessing, like “God bless you,” when someone sneezes? This baby Emmanuel, this little “God with us”, is light years beyond a kind word to someone when they sneeze. This birth of Emmanuel is one of the most pivotal events in all of time and space. God, the All-Sovereign Lord of the universe, came to live with us. He came incognito. Only humble shepherds and wise men from the east had an inkling to his true identity, but after Christmas comes Easter.
Easter is the culmination of the brief earthly life of Emmanuel, of Jesus the Nazarene. The Thursday evening before the first Easter, Jesus celebrated the last supper with his disciples. The next day he was crucified on the cross. A crucifixion he endured as a sacrifice for each one of us to have our sins forgiven and begin a close friendship with God. Friday brought the cross, but Sunday brought the empty tomb--the resurrection, when he rose from the dead. A resurrection that confirmed his true identity as Savior of the world. When we turn to him in faith, surrendering control of our lives to him, we experience our first true Mulligan—a do-over; not just another tee shot, but a new beginning. A fresh start at life with a clear conscience, renewed purpose, and the joy of friendship with God. This Christmas, may you find the grace of your Mulligan in Emmanuel, God with us.
According to the USGA, the term Mulligan first achieved widespread use in the 1940s. There are many theories about the origin of the term. The USGA explains that Mulligan is derived from the name of a Canadian golfer, David Mulligan, who played during the 1920s. Story has it that one day after slicing his tee shot into the woods, Mr. Mulligan teed up another ball and shot again. He called it a correction shot, but his friends thought it more fitting to call it a Mulligan.