You then, my child, be strengthened by the grace that is in Christ Jesus, and what you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses entrust to faithful men, who will be able to teach others also. (2 Timothy 2:1-2,ESV)
Are you someone who we might find camping out on the putting green for an hour every other day, banging golf balls 4-5 days a week, watching YouTube videos on increasing your driver distance, working with the training aid ordered from Amazon, watching golf coverage, and finally, playing as much as possible?
We want to get better at this crazy game, which takes time. And somewhere along the way, we heard it said, “Practice makes perfect.” Vince Lombardi, the legendary coach of the NFL’s Green Bay Packers, famously said, “Practice doesn’t make perfect. Perfect practice makes perfect.”
In golf, the ultimate achievable goal isn’t perfect, but better. Thus, in golf, “right practice makes it better.”
To get better at golf, it takes time to work on sound fundamentals like grip, set-up, and swing. It takes practice on the course, hitting from different lies and positions. It takes playing, often with those who are better than you. Regarding our faith in Jesus, it takes the right spiritual practices to mature in our faith.
For Links Players International, our prayers, hopes, and efforts all point toward one thing. We seek to use the game of golf to provide an opportunity where you play to change the conversation from trivial to spiritual.
This is achieved through small group gatherings called Links Fellowships, where the Gospel of Jesus Christ is central. Fellowships routinely come together for an hour to discuss golf, life issues, friendship, and what it means to know and follow Christ. It’s where our “spiritual game gets better.”
In Paul’s words to Timothy, he urges the continued boldness that the gospel requires. He commands him to entrust or deposit the sound words (1:13) and the treasure (1:14-NASB) of the gospel into others so that others will be saved and called to a holy calling (1:9).
Many of you are already involved in Links Players Fellowships across the country—there are over 290 Fellowships currently. These thousands of men and women could tell you firsthand the importance and impact of the spiritual community where they are “practicing.”
Links wants all golfers to be reconciled to God (Colossians 1:20) and grow in their faith (Colossians 1:28). May God use you to start a Fellowship where the love of God is shown (1 Peter 1:22) and where people can understand what it means to be justified by faith in Christ (Romans 5:1, 10:10) and be in right standing with the Almighty (Romans 3:22).
Today’s devotion hopes that you’ll see how deeply influential a Links Players Fellowship is and that it can be where you build meaningful and trusted relationships.
If you are in a Fellowship, be faithful to it. If you don’t have an active Fellowship meeting near you, let us help you start one! You don’t have to have a seminary degree, memorize books of the Bible, or be a +4 handicap.
We will equip you to facilitate spiritual conversation through our daily devotionals. Many Links Players are getting better, using our golf metaphor, in their faith through the right understanding of Jesus by faithful participation in Fellowships.
Ask God to use you to start a fellowship at your golf club or course. We’re on the first tee ready and eager to get you started. Tee it up!
Prayer: Father, Lead me to start a Links Fellowship where I play golf. Strengthen me to be faithful to my Links Fellowship.