I count all things to be loss in view of the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord” (Philippians 3:8, NASB)
Let’s be honest. Golf is hard!
It often feels like there are so many things you need to do correctly to hit a good shot. It is very easy to overcomplicate this already complex and nuanced game.
It doesn’t help that different teachers emphasize different things. The lesson your buddy got the other day may not be the lesson you need; however, he graciously shares it with you, and now you have one more thing to think about over the ball.
So, what should we focus on?
My father, who played professional golf for many years, often told me, “Shots don’t lie.” What he meant by that is that whatever the golf ball does is determined at impact. The golf ball does not know what your grip looks like or how pretty your backswing is. It only knows what it experienced at impact.
It is possible that a grip adjustment is just what you need to stop slicing the ball. It is also possible that you need to work on getting the club in a better position at the top of your backswing. However, the undeniably most important thing in golf is the impact position. It directly determines the outcome of the shot.
Let’s be honest again. Life is hard!
It often feels like there are so many things you need to do, and it can be difficult to prioritize them. It can also be very easy to overcomplicate our faith and lose focus on the most important thing – if we know it.
According to the Apostle Paul’s letter to the Philippians, nothing he did mattered compared to knowing Jesus Christ intimately. He later added, “That I may know Him and the power of His resurrection” (Philippians 3:10).
To Paul, his religious accolades were “rubbish.” His goal was clear, “I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus” (Phil. 3:14). He also wanted this for you and me, “Therefore, all who are mature, let’s have this attitude; and if in anything you have a different attitude, God will reveal that to you as well” (Phil. 3:15).
This is consistent with what Jesus taught, “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of My Father who is in heaven will enter. Many will say to Me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in Your name, and in Your name cast out demons, and in Your name perform many miracles?’ And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you.’” (Matthew 7:21-23)
In the Kingdom of God, the currency is different. The most important thing is relational. It is not about what you know; rather, it is all about who you know.
Prayer: Father, help me get to know you, your Son, and your Holy Spirit more and more intimately.