A couple of days have passed since Tiger Woods tapped in for a win at the Masters, but the story continues to captivate us. Golf fans and general sports fans are still talking about what took place at Augusta and the return of Tiger.
There is already excitement building for the rest of the majors this year and the anticipation surrounding Tiger’s chase for 18 career majors has heated up again.
People who haven’t watched golf in awhile tuned in on Sunday and those who haven’t picked up a club in quite some time are now motivated to try the sport again. Radio and TV hosts who don't typically lead their show with golf, did so yesterday.
Tiger’s win and return to the top of golf and the response from the sports world can be summarized as a resurgence. Not only is this a comeback for him personally, but also for the sport of golf.
A resurgence is defined as an increase or revival after a period of little activity, popularity, or occurrence. Tiger is back and golf is back!
Don’t get me wrong, Jordan Spieth, Brooks Koepka, Rory McIlroy, Bubba Watson, and Dustin Johnson are great golfers, but even they know golf is different when Tiger is at the forefront.
As we think about what has already taken place and the potential moving forward, the word resurgence seems appropriate. I also want us to consider the synonyms for the word resurgence: revival, recovery, rally, upturn, comeback, reinvigoration, reawakening, resurrection, reappearance, rejuvenation, and a new beginning.
These words describe the current state of golf and the story of Tiger Woods, but how many of us read those terms and are in need of our own resurgence?
Have we been struggling and desire a rejuvenation at our jobs or in a relationship? Perhaps we’re just going through the motions in life and need revival and a reinvigoration? Are we longing for more and desiring a new beginning or a comeback?
If we feel like we’ve drifted or know we are lost, then we need a deep and meaningful resurgence. Rising to the top of our profession might do that temporarily or a reinvigorating weekend with our spouse might help, but what we really long for is a revival of our soul...rooted in the resurrection of Jesus.
His resurrection leads to our resurgence. His comeback provides our new beginning. His reappearance helps our recovery. Everything changes when Jesus is at the forefront of our lives.
But maybe we've allowed our faith to become stale and have forgotten the power that is available to us because of the resurrection.
God wants to revive us...restore us...and renew us. Today, let’s be challenged by these encouraging verses below to truly experience a resurgence in our lives.
Romans 8:11 (NLT) - "The Spirit of God, who raised Jesus from the dead, lives in you. And just as God raised Christ Jesus from the dead, He will give life to your mortal bodies by this same Spirit living within you."
Isaiah 57:15 (NLT) - "The high and lofty one who lives in eternity, the Holy One, says this: 'I live in the high and holy place with those whose spirits are contrite and humble. I restore the crushed spirit of the humble and revive the courage of those with repentant hearts.'”
I’m Bryce Johnson and you can UNPACK that!
PRAYER: Heavenly Father, my desire is the same as the Psalmist when he says, “Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me...This is my comfort in my affliction, that Your Word has revived me and given me life.” It’s in Jesus’ name I pray, Amen.
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