The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth. (John 1:14, NIV)
Yes, it’s true that more than one approach to the golf swing can lead to excellence at impact. You see it every weekend on tour. Winners with all sorts of swings.
But can we say the same about our approach to God? When we pursue the truth of the Creator and Lord of the universe, is it acceptable to “cast aside our differences” and say that many roads lead to God?
In a phrase: it depends.
If by different approaches, we mean that some people draw closest to God through fellowship with other earnest seekers, while others come to him best alone on their knees, or lifting voices in song, or with their noses in Scripture and devotional books, or in the midst of a shared mercy or missions project, then yes, there is more than one avenue to access God’s heart. This is much like those different swing styles leading to the key moment: impact.
The way he lived and the words he said seeped out into our world, sometimes by bold proclamation, sometimes in quiet conversation.
But the key moment is crucial. It provides the contrast between those tour players and the rest of us golfers.
In terms of faith, that key moment is the cross. All else hinges upon it. Leave off from the sacrifice of Jesus being essential to our really hitting home with God, and nothing else matters. Not devotion. Not sincerity. Not truths of a lesser kind.
Jesus himself was full of grace and truth. The way he lived and the words he said seeped out into our world, sometimes by bold proclamation, sometimes in quiet conversation. They spread still today. If we really want to pursue truth, we must get to Jesus. So why not start there? The prelude to the Gospel of John did. It sets us up to explore this man of truth, and soon it leads us to accounts of others—a conflicted theologian, an adulterous woman, a lame beggar, a group of fishermen, a worshipful woman and her worrying sister—who, though different in their “approach,” came to the same moment of impact, right where Jesus was.
—
Jeff Hopper
September 20, 2021
Copyright 2011 Links Players International
The Links Daily Devotional appears Monday-Friday at www.linksplayers.com.
Photo by Thanti Nguyen on Unsplash