Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and he will give you everything you need… for it gives your Father great happiness to give you the Kingdom. (Luke 12:31, 32b, NLT)
I have heard my father, professional golfer Larry Nelson, tell a story many times about the greatest introduction he ever received. In 1980 he asked Arnold Palmer to be his partner in the Walt Disney World National Team Championship; Arnold graciously accepted. Larry was at the time one of the top players on Tour but had only won three tournaments in his relatively young career; Arnold was past his prime but had won 62 times. When they were being introduced on the first tee the starter announced, “And now on the tee with a combined 65 PGA Tour victories, the team of Larry Nelson and Arnold Palmer.” What an introduction!
Jesus died that we may live in unity with him, allowing us to possess and share in his eternal purpose.Even though they only played together as partners in that event twice, Arnold forever after greeted him with, “Hey, partner!” It always meant a lot to my dad to have the King of Golf refer to him as his partner.
Did you know you have been invited into an even better partnership with an even greater king?
We have all been invited to partner with the King of kings and to be co-heirs with Jesus in the Kingdom of God. Contrary to the oft tendencies of religious teachings that emphasize working our way to God, Jesus has invited us to partner with God and the good work he is doing in the world. That has been his plan for us since the beginning of our conception. The apostle Paul wrote to the believers in Ephesus that “he has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago.”
Jesus did not come down from his throne only so that we can go to heaven when we die; rather, his purpose was to bring the Kingdom of Heaven to earth and to fill all things with himself, and he has chosen us to be his partners in that mission. Colossians 1:12-13 says, “He has enabled you to share in the inheritance that belongs to his people… For he has rescued us from the kingdom of darkness and transferred us into the Kingdom of his dear Son.” Jesus died that we may live in unity with him, allowing us to possess and share in his eternal purpose.
Jesus loves us so much that he “gave up his divine privileges” (Philippians 2:7), taking the humble position of a servant and dying a criminal’s death on a cross so we could enter relationship with him. If you pause to think about it on a personal level, it is mind-boggling. He left an environment of perfection and holiness to reveal the way of God to us and bring us into alignment with the Father.
In Hebrews 7:25, we read that now “he lives forever to intercede with God on [our] behalf. So not only did he endure life as a human being to reveal God to us and show us the way back to God, but he has chosen to remain as our intercessor forever so that we may always be his partners.
“Now on the tee, forever victorious in all circumstances, the team of [Your Name Here] and Jesus Christ.”
—
Josh Nelson
November 22, 2016
Copyright 2016 Links Players International
The Links Daily Devotional appears Monday-Friday at www.linksplayers.com.