“Those who sacrifice thank offerings honor me, and to the blameless I will show my salvation.” (Psalm 50:23, NIV)
The LPGA was formed in 1950 by 13 women with passion and foresight. You’ll recognize some of them names instantly: Babe Zaharias, Patty Berg, Louise Suggs. They really only wanted the chance to play professional golf, but they had to step up and do the groundbreaking work themselves.
One of the many sports casualties of 2020 was the Founders Cup, scheduled to have been played in mid-March. It would have been the tenth edition of the tournament designed to honor the LPGA’s founders, in the 70th anniversary year of the Tour. The two remaining founders, Shirley Spork and Marlene Bauer Hagge, would have been on hand. In 2020, “maybe next year” isn’t a loser’s consolation; it’s an honest hope—for the Founders Cup and so many other things in life.
To honor a person is to give them their due, to recognize the contributions they have made or the character they have demonstrated. We see this done in all kinds of ways, during people’s lifetimes and posthumously as well: monuments, planted trees, park benches, road signs. But none of these is enough when it comes to honoring God.
Sacrifices are an act; but sacrifices given out of grateful thanksgiving honor the one who would be worshiped “in spirit and in truth.”The honor God deserves, what we might call his due, is immeasurable. From Creator to King, from Savior to Teacher to Intercessor—for which of these shall we honor him? You see, he can and should be honored for them all. And we, as the created, the kingdom dwellers, the saved, the disciples, and the loved, are the ones to do the honoring. But how?
It might surprise you to discover that God’s idea of honor is rather humble. He’s not looking for elaborate celebrations. In fact, he often exposes religious gestures as mere overtures, covers for the shallowness of one’s heart. God wants our praise to arise from a pure spirit. Sacrifices are an act; but sacrifices given out of grateful thanksgiving honor the one who would be worshiped “in spirit and in truth.” We will never honor God with something other than authenticity.
So perhaps it’s time to reconsider the way you come to God. It honors him greatly when we recognize that we cannot fool him, ever. So we come confessing, surrendering, repentant. “A humble and contrite heart” speaks God’s language. If we start there, we honor all that he is.
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Jeff Hopper
May 1, 2020
Copyright 2020 Links Players International
The Links Daily Devotional appears Monday-Friday at www.linksplayers.com.
OTHER DEVOTIONS IN THIS SERIES
Relating to God 1: Relationships
Relating to God 2: Those Who Believe
Relating to God 3: Those Who Love God
Relating to God 5: Those Who Obey God
Relating to God 6: Those Who Sit With God
Relating to God 7: Those Who Cry Out
Relating to God 8: Those Who Praise God
Relating to God 9: Those Who Serve God
Relating to God 10: Those Who Glorify God