Now the Berean Jews were of more noble character than those in Thessalonica, for they received the message with great eagerness and examined the Scriptures every day to see if what Paul said was true. (Acts 17:11, NIV)
We recently teed it up for our first college golf tournament of the 2019-2020 season. There’s something about starting a new season that is invigorating and hopeful. New tournaments, new faces, new goals, new training aids, and the same game. Technology moves fast and you’ll constantly find teaching aids and swing aids to help you to improve your game.
Recently, our men’s coach and I were discussing which training aid would be the best investment for our programs. Pick your poison. There is the K-Vest, Trackman, SAM PuttLab, Blast Motion, Inside Approach, the Putting Stick, Dave Pelz’s Putting Tutor, SKLZ Impact Golf Balls, and on and on I could go. They all can be very helpful, but at some point or another, the test is in the game. When you are on the course, does your training with various aids and drills pay off?
What’s better than hearing about how awesome a person is? Getting to know that person yourself!I hope the answer is yes, and of course I think there is tremendous value in training aids and instruction. However, I still believe the best teacher itself is going out and playing—finding a way to get the ball in the hole regardless of how pretty it looks. Sticking with a few aids consistently in practice is better than tinkering with a new one each day, but eventually the training wheels come off and you get to see how it feels to ride on your own, perhaps fall, but get back up and keep riding. Staying consistent with drills and aids can really help ingrain movements for a long time and create a swing that is repeatable and holds up under pressure.
Today, we have incredible access to books, teaching, sermons, podcasts, etc., to help us grow in our walk with the Lord. Indeed, I benefit greatly from reading the Links Daily Devotional, but if that is what I stopped at, it would be like hitting a couple warmup shots at the range at Augusta National without ever walking over and playing the actual course. I pray that these devotions that brothers and sisters in the faith write drive you to get into your own Bible and have time of your own with the Lord!
Continue to read and listen to gospel-centered teaching and songs and books. But let your faith be marked by a personal relationship with the Lord and seeing with your own eyes the story of creation, fall, redemption and glory throughout the Bible. What’s better than hearing about how awesome a person is? Getting to know that person yourself!
Praise God that his word is alive and active and that the Holy Spirit is also at work to teach us and grow us to be more like Christ. Take the time today and start reading through the Bible. Don’t rush or panic, but pray often, ask questions, talk to others, and keep reading. I promise it’s worth it. It’s the best teaching aid out there, money back, guaranteed.
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Aimee Neff
September 19, 2019
Copyright 2019 Links Players International
The Links Daily Devotional appears Monday-Friday at www.linksplayers.com.
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