“I am the Vine, you are the branches. When you’re joined with me and I with you, the relation intimate and organic, the harvest is sure to be abundant. Separated, you can’t produce a thing.” (John 15:5, MSG)
Thanks to my friend Brian, I’ve had the opportunity to play golf with several active and former Major League Baseball players. In fact, Brian is a former big leaguer himself, though he is now an all-star player on Jesus’ team.
One thing all the active players have in common is that they can hit a golf ball very far. Not necessarily very straight, but certainly very far. As for the retired players who have more time for golf, they still hit it far and they’ve mostly straightened it out. Scary.
I am not the first golfer to realize there is something to be learned from a fellow who can hit a baseball with a bat as far as I can hit a golf ball with a 9-iron.
Apparently Ben Hogan noticed the same thing. So he went to a baseball player named Babe Ruth and asked him a question: “What do you know about hitting a baseball that other players don’t know?”
Perhaps flattered by the question, or in awe of Ben Hogan, Ruth answered. He said, “You stay connected.”
World-renowned golf coach Jimmy Ballard tells that story, and if you are a fan of Ballard then you’ll recognize the idea of staying connected.
When, for whatever reason, the branch becomes disconnected, fruit-bearing stops.
I’ll leave it to you and your coach and YouTube to decide how that might help your golf swing. On the other hand, I’m going to tell you without question that staying connected is something you must think about in your relationship with Jesus.
Today’s verse says it in no uncertain terms, and it is easy to see in The Message version of the Bible. Jesus’ words for his followers (including us) were, “I am the vine and you are the branches.” You may have seen a grapevine, and if so you will know that the branches are attached, or joined, or connected to the vine.
It is only when that connection remains solid that a branch bears fruit. When, for whatever reason, the branch becomes disconnected, fruit-bearing stops: “Separated, you can’t produce a thing.”
When your upper arms “disconnect” from your body in a golf swing, you can lose power or control or both. Because of that, a lot of people spend a lot of time working on staying connected.
But when you lose your connection to Jesus, the consequences are severe. Reading on, you’ll see in verse 6 that Jesus said, “Anyone who separates from me is deadwood, gathered up and thrown on the bonfire.”
So put in time to stay connected in your swing and keep the ball out of the rough. But put even more effort into staying connected to Jesus, and keep yourself out of the bonfire.
—
Lewis Greer
April 14, 2021
Copyright 2021 Links Players International
The Links Daily Devotional appears Monday-Friday at www.linksplayers.com.