“But the very hairs of your head are all numbered.” (Matthew 10:30, NASB)
If you have purchased a set of clubs in the last few years, there is a good chance you were custom-fit. Not many players are built for an off-the-rack set of clubs. Gladly, the options are many: extra length or less length, a couple of degrees upright or a couple of degrees flat, larger grips or smaller grips, stiff shafts, regular shafts, senior shafts, or ladies’ shafts, graphite or steel. With today’s technology and few dollars, you can come away with a set of clubs made just for you—amazing!
What about the game of life, and specifically the spiritual life?
For starters, as our Creator, God knows us individually. Today’s passage reminds us of that! He recognizes our unique characteristics. Jesus did not approach each person he met in the same manner. Some needed challenge, others needed compassion.
More than this, he knows when and where we live. This was also part of his plan for our lives, as Paul told his listeners in Acts 17. The reason this is important is because it means God knows what we are going through, including the circumstances that surround us, from our home and work lives to the broader social and cultural influences that look to force us in certain directions. What Christians in the United States face is more of an intellectual threat, while believers in other settings may face ostracization or even physical danger because of their faith.
You may be one-of-a-kind, but you don’t want to go through your Christian life alone.Wonderfully, God has also given each of us a custom fitting specialist, the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit first allows us to understand God’s word when we read it. Then he brings it to mind when we need to recall it: “But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all that I said to you” (John 14:26). In this way, God helps each of us as we encounter unique needs.
We also live in a time of unlimited resources. In the past, if we found ourselves in a particularly difficult situation, it may have been hard for us to locate a godly resource to equip us for the challenge. Now we can find indexed biblical teaching online and on the apps on our phone. Christian and gospel music come to us via the radio, streaming, and YouTube videos. Study bibles are excellent tools, along with study guides, commentaries, and scores of faith-based books. Ask your pastor or small group leader, and they’ll be able to point you to helpful material.
You may be one-of-a-kind, but you don’t want to go through your Christian life alone. If you try to do that, it’s like pulling a set of clubs off the rack and hoping they work for you. Instead, seek the Lord and ask him to give you just what you need to grow in him. Then “tend your garden” with spiritual disciplines and edifying fellowship. From there, God will make you fruitful.
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Bill Euler
January 29, 2020
Copyright 2020 Links Players International
The Links Daily Devotional appears Monday-Friday at www.linksplayers.com.
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