The law of the Lord is perfect, restoring the soul; The testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise the simple. The precepts of the Lord are right, rejoicing the heart; The commandment of the Lord is pure, enlightening the eyes. The fear of the Lord is clean, enduring forever; The judgments of the Lord are true; they are righteous altogether. They are more desirable than gold, yes, than much fine gold; Sweeter also than honey and the drippings of the honeycomb. Moreover, by them Your servant is warned; In keeping them there is great reward. (Psalm 19:7-11, NASB)
Much about golf is counterintuitive. I am quite sure I spent the first year attempting to hit the golf ball by sweeping it cleanly, trying to get it airborne without disturbing the ground. It came as quite a revelation to learn I should hit down on the ball to make it go up, especially with irons. Another counterintuitive golf idea is the greenside flop shot—swinging with maximum speed (or a full swing) to compensate for the wide-open face and make the ball go high and land softly. It is not always easy to convince myself to take a full swing when the pin is 20 or less yards away; but when properly executed, it is, without a doubt, my most satisfying shot. In fact, it is the kind of shot my playing partners usually comment on, telling me that despite how bad my round is, “Now you need to come back and keep playing!”
Jesus has plans for us and they are much better than our own. To experience them, though, requires us getting into his Word and applying it to our lives.Much of God’s Word to us falls into the same category. That is, it might initially seem counterintuitive to the way the world teaches us to live. But the rewards for applying God’s Word greatly enhance our lives.
The Israelites were looking for a Messiah king, but Mark wrote of Jesus that he “did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life a ransom for many” (Mark 10:45). Though the Israelites yearned for a ruler, Jesus came as a servant. He tells us that if we want to lead in his kingdom, we are to do the same: “Whoever wishes to become great among you, shall be your servant.” Greatness comes through serving others.
Or how about another counterintuitive idea from Jesus? “Then he said to them all: “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me. For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me will save it” (Luke 9:23-24, NIV). The world says we are in charge of our own lives; we don’t have to answer to anyone and we get to do whatever we want with life. Whatever we decide will provide us with the most satisfaction is what we pursue. We chase after reputation, money, security, possessions, power, etc. But Jesus says that to live, we must let go of our old life and pursue him. He says we cannot continue to live by our old habits and the world’s value system, doing what we have always done. If we are willing to let go and follow him and live by his promises, Jesus promises we will find life. He is not just promising us eternal life but also an abundant life here on earth. In John 10, we read Jesus’ words: “I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly.” Jesus has plans for us and they are much better than our own. To experience them, though, requires us getting into his Word and applying it to our lives. Fortunately, the law of the Lord is perfect, and it restores our souls. His precepts are right; they will cause our hearts to rejoice, they will enlighten our eyes, and in keeping them there is great reward.
Today, take some time to think about his Word. Today’s verses would be a good place to start.
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Bob Kuecker
January 29, 2019
Copyright 2019 Links Players International
The Links Daily Devotional appears Monday-Friday at www.linksplayers.com.