Be still, and know that I am God (Psalm 46:10 NIV)
There are clear advantages to your ball being closer to the hole. You get to see your opponent’s shot before playing your own, you often get to “see the line,” and it doesn’t take a “strokes-gained” genius to know that you’ll make more three-footers than 30-foot putts. Hit it close enough and your opponent may even utter the two words any shaky putter longs to hear: “That’s good.”
Speaking of proximity, I don’t often think of golf when reading the story of Martha and Mary, but in writing this devotion I had an insight.
“As Jesus and his disciples were on their way, he came to a village where a woman named Martha opened her home to him. She had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord’s feet listening to what he said. But Martha was distracted by all the preparations that had to be made. She came to him and asked, “Lord, don’t you care that my sister has left me to do the work by myself? Tell her to help me!”
“Martha, Martha,” the Lord answered, “you are worried and upset about many things, but few things are needed—or indeed only one. Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her” (Luke 10:38-42).
I can relate to Martha. I easily get caught up in the details of life. I grind over every word in each devotion. I obsess over Links’ logistics. I pride myself on how many times I’ve read the Bible.
The problem is, it’s not about the work. As Paul explains, “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith – and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God – not by works, so that no one can boast” (Ephesians 2:8-9).
Just when I was going to ask if you’re more like Martha or Mary, it hit me. Who is physically closer to Jesus? It’s not Martha, who is busy working; it is Mary, who is sitting at his feet, and Jesus confirms that is the better choice. Martha has a 20-footer while Mary is in gimme range!
Mary had it right. He wants a relationship over performance. Our work should emerge out of our intimate relationship with Jesus.
Sadly, I will sometimes add already completed items to my ‘to do’ list, just so I can cross them off. However, when I’ve chosen to “be still” and spend time with God at White Rock Lake, I’ve never driven away thinking, “That was a waste of time.” It is when I let go of the performance-based metrics of my faith that I’m able to draw closer to God.
While our ability may dictate how close we hit our approaches, Mary demonstrated that proximity to Jesus is a choice, and the most enjoyable walk of faith, like golf, is when you’re in tap-in distance.
Prayer: Lord, let us take time to be still and know that you are God. Help us set our minds on things above and not on earthly things.