Then Jesus told his disciples, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. (Matthew 16:24, ESV)
My brother wanted to go to golf school, and he didn’t want to go alone. Within seconds of hearing his plan, I was in. He was in Illinois; I was in California. We would meet in Arizona.
In our first group session, one of the pros demonstrated that the secrets to the game were not keeping your eye on the ball, keeping your left arm straight, or creating a slow tempo.
He said there were only three things that, in combination, made the ball do whatever it does: 1. The path of the clubhead, 2. The face position at impact 3. The angle of attack.
What do all of those have in common? The clubhead strikes the ball. Your only task is to swing the clubhead so that the path, the angle of attack, and the face angle will produce the ball flight you desire.
Note the one thing that never changes: you swing the clubhead. You do not hit the ball.
Simple? Yes. Easy? Not so much.
If you have decided to make Jesus the Lord of your life, one thing never changes: you follow him wherever he leads you. You do not lead him.
Simple? Yes. Easy? Not so much.
But here’s a tip in case your life occasionally (like a golf ball) doesn’t go where you intended. 1. Check the path you are on. Is it the one he chose? 2. Check your face position. Are you keeping your eyes on Jesus? 3. Check the angle of attack. Are you coming down in defiance or standing up in praise?
Finally, you must hold on to the club firmly to swing it with accuracy and speed. Strong and supple hands will help you swing faster and with better clubface control, both in the short and long game.
Hold on to the club, and your golf will improve, even if there are a few bad shots now and then.
Likewise, make sure you hold on to Jesus every day —not just in the dark, but even in the sunshine, and even if you stumble once in a while.
Prayer: Father, may we hold on to Jesus and follow where he leads. In His powerful name, Amen.