Therefore let anyone who thinks that he stands take heed lest he fall. (1 Corinthians 10:12, ESV)
The March Madness (albeit April already) of college golf has just kicked off, with many conference tournaments finishing up or going on this weekend. NCAA Regionals and Nationals are just around the corner. This is on the heels of the LPGA and PGA both recently having their first majors of the year, the ANA Inspiration and the Masters, respectively.
Professionals and amateurs alike talk about peaking at the right time. Playing their best golf when it matters most—majors, conference championships, NCAAs, club championships. These prestigious tournaments happen yearly and hold a lot of stock in bragging rights about who is the best.
If we are not careful as golfers, coaches, employees and bosses, we quickly go down the path of thinking that success equals significance. In a worldly sense, yes, a great deal of attention, praise, and accolades come for the accomplished golfers who win at the highest level and the workers who make the most money or are the most charitable. None of these things are sinful or wrong, but they can quickly reveal our heart’s motive.
Do we want success because we want to be made much of or because we want to make much of God? Whom or what do we love most?
How quick I am to steal glory from God and how sinful it is! I write this as a reminder not just for you, but for myself.
Forget not for whom and why we are here, brothers and sisters. We are image bearers of God and here to know God, enjoy him and share him with others. As Christians, we are new creations in Christ. While we still live in a fallen world, we will battle against our flesh. It is a daily fight to die to our selfish desires and to live for and put on Christ. This struggle is not in vain, for as Jesus said in Luke 11:28, “Blessed rather are those who hear the word of God and keep it!”
What encouragement! Throughout the Scriptures we see this truth and can be sure that obeying God and living for his glory and praise is better than living for what we feel is best. It is not easy, but it is worth it. As we grow closer to him, our desires are brought more and more in sync with the Lord’s. For our entire lives, we are a work in progress.
Finally, Paul’s words in today’s opening passage serve as a reminder that we are not self-sufficient. We are God-dependent. He made us and he knows what is best for us. May we be on guard against pride, and instead use the skills and resources God gives us by the power of the Holy Spirit working in us to glorify him and remember that he alone is the one who deserves all the glory and praise.
—
Aimee Neff
April 19, 2018
Copyright 2018 Links Players International
The Links Daily Devotional appears Monday-Friday at www.linksplayers.com.