Yay!! It is so gorgeous outside and it makes me excited to get back to my new found love....Golf! Yes, I love to golf. Last year I took lessons and got totally hooked on the sport. I practiced/played so much last year that I developed a really bad case of tendonitis in my left arm by the end of the summer. It's all better now and I'm antsy to break out my clubs and dust off the rust from my swing, of which I'm sure there is quite a bit.
But it made me think of how much rust needs to be dusted off of my Christian life, of which there is quite a bit as well. Shouldn't I yearn to walk with God as much as I yearn to walk the golf course? Shouldn't I practice the principles found in scripture as much as I practice my putting? The answer, of course, is a resounding yes. And I realized I can take lessons I learned in golf and apply them to my walk with the Lord, and vice versa.
Truth #1: Find a good instructor. My golf instructor's name is Bud. He is an older gentleman with the patience of a saint....and with me as a student, he sure needed it. Bud knows the game of golf and he knows how to teach it in a way that makes it fun, easy, and desirable to learn. Bud took real pleasure in seeing me improve each week. When I sank my first 10-yard putt in one try, he jumped in the air! He has a love and enthusiasm for the game of golf that is contagious. So as Christians, we need to be in good churches that preach and teach Christ. I am so grateful for Westside Baptist Church. This is a good
church! It's pastors are dedicated to serving God and ministering to other people. They know the word of God and encourage every believer to know it too! Their love for Christ overflows with tremendous joy. It is evident in everything they do and they want nothing more than to see the people of this church grow and succeed in the Lord and for the Lord.
Truth #2: Daily practice is required. I couldn't rely on my two, 45-minute lessons a week to be the only time needed if I want to improve my golf game. Bud made it very clear that I would never get better if I didn't go home and practice what he had taught me. And believe me, it only took a few swings for Bud to know if I had been practicing or not. I did practice a lot...tendonitis, remember. But the practice wasn't always easy and improvement wasn't always quick. There were days when I didn't want to practice, days I wanted to be doing something else or be somewhere else. But each lesson as Bud would praise my efforts and improvements, it made the practice worthwhile. And I enjoyed it more and more. As a Christian, I need to be practicing my faith daily. That means I must find it necessary to spend personal time with God every day. I must read His word, memorize it, and apply it. I must daily spend time in prayer. I do these things because of my desire to improve as a Christian and because I love Jesus above all else. I guarantee that a person who has a stagnant Christian life is not spending the time required with God to thrive. Sunday morning for an hour just won't do it. It's not enough practice for real improvement.
Truth #3: Practice produces results. After several weeks of lessons, I could tee up without having to go through every little step. My stance became second nature. I no longer have to repeat in my head, "feet shoulder width apart, knees slightly bent, bend at the waist, align thumbs, angle of shaft." I now can walk up to the tee, place my golf ball, and swing. That's progress, a result of practicing. That's exciting to me! Is my swing perfect all the time? No, but I know where I can and need to make adjustments. Notice I did not say "Practice makes perfect". I do not believe that. I will never be the perfect golfer, no matter how much I practice. And as good as he is, Tiger Woods is not a perfect golfer. I will never be the perfect Christian either, no matter how much I practice. Only Jesus is Perfect! But with practice, I can learn and grow and improve as a Christian. I will continue to make mistakes. The goal is to learn from them and to do my best the next time. Besides, I don't think God expects us to be perfect. He wants us trust, follow, and obey Him. He will do the perfecting. The results are in God's hands.
Truth #4: Know the rules....they are there for a reason.
Truth #5: Follow the rules....they keep you from all kinds of trouble.
Truth #6: Being in the sandpit is a learning opportunity.
Truth #7: Follow through is extremely important for balance.
Truth #8: Be courteous to others on the course.
Truth#9: Take the penalty shot with grace and move on.
Truth #10: There is refreshment in the clubhouse.
Someday I may expand on these other truths, but for now, it's still nice outside and my golf clubs are calling!
But it made me think of how much rust needs to be dusted off of my Christian life, of which there is quite a bit as well. Shouldn't I yearn to walk with God as much as I yearn to walk the golf course? Shouldn't I practice the principles found in scripture as much as I practice my putting? The answer, of course, is a resounding yes. And I realized I can take lessons I learned in golf and apply them to my walk with the Lord, and vice versa.
Truth #1: Find a good instructor. My golf instructor's name is Bud. He is an older gentleman with the patience of a saint....and with me as a student, he sure needed it. Bud knows the game of golf and he knows how to teach it in a way that makes it fun, easy, and desirable to learn. Bud took real pleasure in seeing me improve each week. When I sank my first 10-yard putt in one try, he jumped in the air! He has a love and enthusiasm for the game of golf that is contagious. So as Christians, we need to be in good churches that preach and teach Christ. I am so grateful for Westside Baptist Church. This is a good
church! It's pastors are dedicated to serving God and ministering to other people. They know the word of God and encourage every believer to know it too! Their love for Christ overflows with tremendous joy. It is evident in everything they do and they want nothing more than to see the people of this church grow and succeed in the Lord and for the Lord.
Truth #2: Daily practice is required. I couldn't rely on my two, 45-minute lessons a week to be the only time needed if I want to improve my golf game. Bud made it very clear that I would never get better if I didn't go home and practice what he had taught me. And believe me, it only took a few swings for Bud to know if I had been practicing or not. I did practice a lot...tendonitis, remember. But the practice wasn't always easy and improvement wasn't always quick. There were days when I didn't want to practice, days I wanted to be doing something else or be somewhere else. But each lesson as Bud would praise my efforts and improvements, it made the practice worthwhile. And I enjoyed it more and more. As a Christian, I need to be practicing my faith daily. That means I must find it necessary to spend personal time with God every day. I must read His word, memorize it, and apply it. I must daily spend time in prayer. I do these things because of my desire to improve as a Christian and because I love Jesus above all else. I guarantee that a person who has a stagnant Christian life is not spending the time required with God to thrive. Sunday morning for an hour just won't do it. It's not enough practice for real improvement.
Truth #3: Practice produces results. After several weeks of lessons, I could tee up without having to go through every little step. My stance became second nature. I no longer have to repeat in my head, "feet shoulder width apart, knees slightly bent, bend at the waist, align thumbs, angle of shaft." I now can walk up to the tee, place my golf ball, and swing. That's progress, a result of practicing. That's exciting to me! Is my swing perfect all the time? No, but I know where I can and need to make adjustments. Notice I did not say "Practice makes perfect". I do not believe that. I will never be the perfect golfer, no matter how much I practice. And as good as he is, Tiger Woods is not a perfect golfer. I will never be the perfect Christian either, no matter how much I practice. Only Jesus is Perfect! But with practice, I can learn and grow and improve as a Christian. I will continue to make mistakes. The goal is to learn from them and to do my best the next time. Besides, I don't think God expects us to be perfect. He wants us trust, follow, and obey Him. He will do the perfecting. The results are in God's hands.
Truth #4: Know the rules....they are there for a reason.
Truth #5: Follow the rules....they keep you from all kinds of trouble.
Truth #6: Being in the sandpit is a learning opportunity.
Truth #7: Follow through is extremely important for balance.
Truth #8: Be courteous to others on the course.
Truth#9: Take the penalty shot with grace and move on.
Truth #10: There is refreshment in the clubhouse.
Someday I may expand on these other truths, but for now, it's still nice outside and my golf clubs are calling!
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