Gò0dNews for Everyone
Thank Goodness For A Mulligan
T
by Beth Penny
he global pandemic that we now, almost
and it was completely calm. He said to his disciples,
affectionately, call COVID-19 derailed the
‘Why are you so afraid? Do you still have no faith?’”
entire world. Plans were disrupted; lives were
The disciples in the boat with a very real and human
interrupted. In our “Me, me, me” society, we were
form of Jesus still struggle with panic and uncertainty.
inconvenienced. Amid all the negative, what is the
Our takeaway from their fear? Jesus calms the
silver lining in the situation? We question God’s
storm, no matter the real or symbolic storm we face.
overall plan amidst the atrocity of an entire nation
For our faith to increase, we must experience these
halted. The pandemic came with fear, uncertainty, and loss of control, to only name a few. But thank goodness for a mulligan. We were forced to remember that it’s really not all about “me.” Think of our 40-day shutdowns as God calling a mulligan. In our busy, busy lives, we were actually given the gift of time. I think of another time God called a 40-day “do-over.” Remember the story of Noah and his family? God chose Noah and his family to be the example of a do-over. They weathered first the storm of life and then the actual storms that came. Many examples, songs, and devotions are based on the fact that God always allows the sun to shine after a storm. Sometimes, while in the midst of fear and uncertainty, we forget that the sunshine will come. The fear and panic of the pandemic and
storms of life. The beauty of God’s grace and, more
quarantines are storms in our lives. In Mark 4, Jesus
importantly, mercy is the fact that He gives us a
and his disciples face a real storm. The disciples are
mulligan, a second shot. He gives us a second chance,
in a boat with Jesus just trying to cross the sea. A
a third chance, a fourth chance…until we get it right.
tremendous storm comes, and the disciples begin to
God’s capacity for forgiveness is unbounded. Allow
question their safety. Mark 4:39-40 is Jesus giving them
yourself the spiritual do-over.
the waves, ‘Quiet! Be still!’ Then the wind died down
40 // November 2020
About The Author
a do-over. “He got up, rebuked the wind and said to Beth Penny has taught English at Model High School since 1997. There she is also the Yearbook adviser and the Special Education Department Chair. She and her husband, Chad, have four children.
