But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin. (1 John 1:7, NIV)
Fellowship with other golfers is one of golf’s hidden blessings. I have been very fortunate to have found friends from all walks of life as a result of playing golf. Those relationships have enhanced my life and allowed me to share my life with others.
Golfers around the world will be united in their viewing habits this weekend, as well. With the Masters airing to millions of TV watchers, we’ll see the same exciting moments and be impressed by the feats of the winner. And while we may watch in a different living room than our golfing friends, when we meet at the course next week, we’ll be talking about the same thing.
Golf relationships and the common understanding among golfers is great, but I’ve found far better relationships through coming alongside other believers. There is something special about knowing people who truly know and serve God. Unlike most relationships, there does not have to be any pretense between believers. It is entirely possible to be of one heart and mind through a common belief in Jesus.
I have found that fellowship with other believers (those who have given their hearts back to God and are determined to serve him) results in a definite benefit to my own faith. It is easy to believe you are alone in your struggles to serve him, but God has ordained that we be part of a greater body of believers. We can serve him alone, but we serve him better when we have the support and prayers of others who are of like mind.
We are, in fact, connected to one another whether we realize it or not. We are all part of the body of Christ and we are interdependent in our roles as Christians. It is important to realize that God never intended for us to walk this road alone. We make an individual choice to believe in God, but the path that we follow after that is one that will include others that are on the same journey.
One day we will see what it is truly like to have an eternal family fused together by the grace and mercy of God. Like those millions of Masters viewers, we will come from around the world, with different languages and experiences, but our focus on Christ will unite us.
Our eternal family will include not only those who we call family by blood but also all those who have become our brothers and sisters through the blood of Jesus. We will be one family with a heart that beats together to bring glory to him. May it be soon!
—
Linda Ballard
April 5, 2018
Copyright 2018 Links Players International
The Links Daily Devotional appears Monday-Friday at www.linksplayers.com.