By faith Abraham obeyed when he was called to go out to a place that he was to receive as an inheritance. And he went out, not knowing where he was going. By faith he went to live in the land of promise, as in a foreign land, living in tents with Isaac and Jacob, heirs with him of the same promise. For he was looking forward to the city that has foundations, whose designer and builder is God. (Hebrews 11:8-10, ESV)
Have you ever needed more motivation? You wake up, and you don’t want to go to work. You know the yard needs attention, but it’s hot, and you can’t seem to get off the couch. That expense report must be turned in, yet you would rather have a “root canal.”
For most golfers, finding the motivation to go to the course is rarely, if ever, an issue; golfers hardly need a reason to play. When you love something, motivation is easy to come by.
No matter the level at which you play, golf is flat-out so much fun! I was recently invited to play a little nine-hole course. It was clear upon arrival that the level of play mostly consisted of beginners and guys who played once a year.
Most foursomes could be seen and heard from miles away, hooting, hollering, and jumping up and down— belly-laughing was a common sight. Frankly, it was refreshing to see! These guys were motivated to have some serious fun. Even awful shots were seen as an opportunity to “rib one another.”
Even when things are going the wrong way—drives are finding the deep rough, blasting a four-footer six feet by the hole, leaving an easy shot in the bunker—even so, many golfers remain optimistic about the future.
Abraham knew God, being God, was omnipotent, omniscient, and omnibenevolent. That is, Abraham knew he could trust God with his future.
When God demanded that Abraham sacrifice Isaac, he didn’t waiver. How in the world does a father pass that test? Scripture says, “He considered God was able even to raise him from the dead.”
When God called Abraham to leave his country and journey with his family toward an unknown country, he obeyed. Where does he find the courage to live as a pilgrim (in tents)? Answer—by faith, “…he was looking forward to the city that has foundations, whose designer and builder is God.”
As the author of Hebrews reminds us, we who have left our former manner of life “…seek the city that is to come” (Hebrews 13:14). Throughout the unfolding story found in Scripture, we are encouraged to look to the new heavens, and new earth to find the motivation and strength needed to live as pilgrims in this life!
When life resembles a long string of bogeys, discover or rediscover the promise(s) in Scripture that holds out an indescribable, eternal, and heavenly future. When you are being tested to the limits of your strength, ask the Father to open your eyes to your eternal inheritance.
When Paul prays for the church, one thing he earnestly requested from the Father for the Ephesians and us to see was “…that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the knowledge of him, having the eyes of your hearts enlightened, that you may know what is the hope to which he has called you….”
This “hope” is the anchor of our soul in the dark times of life. Remember, “Faith is the assurance of things hoped for.”
Prayer: Father! Open our eyes to see the “city whose builder and maker is God.”