But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you. (Matthew 6:33)
It’s hard to overstate the importance of having the proper stance in golf. Don’t stand too close to the ball. Or too far. Are your feet too closed? Too open? How’s your weight distribution?
Even the smallest details matter. Nelly Korda famously switched shoes to ones gifted by LeBron James for Day 1 of the U.S. Women’s Open at Riviera, only to have her trainer bring out her old pair mid-round. The new shoes, she said, had too much room in them.
Building a strong foundation is crucial.
I recently listened to a sermon about King Asa, who suffered from a foot disease, as recorded in 2 Chronicles 14-16.
As king of Judah, Asa began his rule by fervently seeking the Lord and found great victory in battle, followed by a time of peace.
“They entered into a covenant to seek the Lord, the God of their fathers, with all their heart and soul” (2 Chronicles, 15:12).
But as success came, Asa cut God out, relying instead on his own schemes. The Lord sent a prophet to encourage him, but Asa did not heed the prophet’s advice and threw him into prison. The king’s feet became infected, and as he sought the help of the occult instead of God, his illness only spread.
“At that time, Hanani, the seer, came to Asa, king of Judah, and said to him: ‘Because you relied on the king of Aram and not on the Lord your God, the army of the king of Aram has escaped from your hand. Were not the Cushites and Libyans a mighty army with great numbers of chariots and horsemen? Yet when you relied on the Lord, he delivered them into your hand, for the eyes of the Lord range throughout the earth to strengthen those whose hearts are fully committed to him. You have done a foolish thing, and from now on you will be at war.” (2 Chronicles 16:7-9)
The issue of self-reliance can rip away the core of our foundation. We can begin to believe we don’t need the Lord’s help. We experience success and forget what got us there in the first place. We mistakenly believe our own talents and strengths are enough.
“Who am I to think that somehow I ever arrive anywhere that I don’t need him to specially focus and cleanse my feet from iniquity?” asked a pastor.
Golfers can go from a record day to one of sheer frustration when something in their setup shifts by mere inches. The foundation – without proper care and attention – is ever-changing.
Our faith is the same. We can’t rely on the habits and breakthroughs of our past to keep sin away. It’s too easy for pride or apathy or busyness to separate us from time spent with the Father.
Do it long enough and rot can set in.
Prayer: Father God, we thank you for loving us even when we try to do things our way without you. Forgive us. Today, we recommit to seeking you first in all things.