The LORD is good to those whose hope is in him, to the one who seeks him; it is good to wait quietly for the salvation of the LORD. (Lamentations 3:25-26, NIV)
Golf allows us a lot of quiet time. I’m a quick player, and it’s always a nice surprise when a round takes less time than I expect. But I have also learned to slow down when the round is moving along at a slower pace. In fact, I’ve played some pretty good rounds when there is a lot of sitting on the tee waiting our turn.
Speaking of sitting, I have also been a walker much of my golfing life. I like the exercise and the time between shots (especially if the last one wasn’t so good!). But this means that a bench alongside a tee can be a welcome sight. It’s a chance to relax, if only while my partners hit their shots. My legs like the respite.
In a world where “human doings” often seem to outnumber human beings, we may not understand the good in sitting. Yet the very best sitting of all is sitting with Jesus.
We may see that we are prone to secondary activity, not taking the time our souls need for renewal and ongoing health.Jeremiah made note of the value of quietness before God in his little book of Lamentations. At first glance, the title may fool us into thinking Jeremiah’s work here is laced with sorrow throughout. But the lines include hope as well, which emerged from the prophet’s deep reflection on the Lord. We can fall into thinking that the inspiration of the Holy Spirit came upon Scripture’s authors like a bolt of lightning. What is more common is that it came to them when there was space in their lives to hear his voice. Consider, for example, how many of Paul’s letters were written from prison.
Maybe Mary, the sister of Martha, had Jeremiah’s heart. Recall the scene in which the sisters had opportunity to spend time with Jesus. But Martha got caught up in a host’s doing. She felt compelled to work on this and that; and she thought Mary should be doing the same with her. But Mary was sitting at Jesus’s feet, just taking in the words of the Lord. And this, Jesus said, was the better thing.
When we look at our own lives, we may see that we are prone to secondary activity, not taking the time our souls need for renewal and ongoing health. We do not spend sufficient time with Jesus. We may even be hesitant to do so, for Jesus is not there to be seen. But Jesus told Thomas that more blessed are those who believe without seeing, as we must do. This does not mean we believe blindly. It only means that we must quiet ourselves all the more, giving God opportunity to engage our undivided attention.
—
Jeff Hopper
May 15, 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 4: Those Who Honor God
Relating to God 5: Those Who Obey 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