The just shall live by his faith. (Habakkuk 2:4, quoted in Romans 1:7, KJV).
I read Habakkuk this morning—just three chapters. Read the second chapter before you dive into this devotional. But beware. The prophet may hit you hard, as he did me, if you live and play at a country club.
I can envision the prophet standing outside the security gate of my country club with a sign that says “WOE”.
God told Habakkuk, “This vision is for a future time…” (Hab. 2:3a, NLT). Maybe that future is now? Is it possible that Habakkuk, in 600 B.C., envisioned golf and the country clubs of the future?
He gave us five “Woes”. These are not a list of sins, but rather five things to be aware of. Be careful, says the prophet.
The five Woes are found in abundance at the country clubs of America, where some of us live and play. You know the scene. A “pearly gate” gets you into the property, where people called ‘members’ have chosen to live and play, protected by a security guard at the gate.
Inside those gates, big houses surround green fairways, with an even bigger clubhouse, fit for royalty, with a chef and staff and a bar with plenty of fine wines to keep essentially meaningless conversation going.
What are the “woes”?
One – being rich. (Hab 2:6). Beware.
Two – big houses (Hab 2:9). Beware.
Three – building big cities (Hab 2:12). Beware.
Four – too much alcohol. (Hab 2:15). Beware.
Five – golf. (Hab 2:19). What? Now wait a minute, you say. A “woe” to golfers? After all, golf is the ultimate game of integrity founded by “The Honourable Company of Edinburgh Golfers”. Surely golf cannot be one of the Five Woes.
But I smiled when I read the prophet say,
“Woe to him who says to a wooden thing, ‘Awake; to a silent stone, Arise!’ Can this teach? Behold, it is overlaid with gold and silver, and there is no breath at all in it.” (Habakkuk 2:19, ESV).
Most versions say “wooden idols”. I remembered how much I loved my five wood about fifty years ago, not to mention my persimmon Driver! I even loved a wooden shafted putter in 1974. And our irons seem to be overlaid with gold and silver. Did you ever think you’d pay what we pay to buy a set of irons?
So, Habakkuk Country Club – inside these walls live millions of men and women looking for answers.
LinksPlayers exists to change the conversation inside these clubs. And what should we say?
Habakkuk answers that question. And his answer is endorsed by arguably the two most important theologians in world history.
In Romans 1:7, the Apostle Paul quotes Habakkuk 2:4: “The just shall live by his Faith.” Five hundred years later, Martin Luther took that same verse to the whole world.
Indeed, the Just shall live by Faith in the Son of God. Paul further explains the “faith that we preach: If you openly declare that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.” (Romans 10:9 NLT).
This amazing faith of Habakkuk, Paul, and Luther is what we discuss in small groups at clubs all over America. It doesn’t take long for the word to spread that men and women are meeting in the locker room or bar for Bible study at a certain time each week.
If you are reading this devotional, in addition to playing this honorable game, our mission is to change the conversation, one day at a time, at our golf club. Is it happening where you live and play?
PRAYER: Oh God, help us to change the conversations inside the walls of our golf clubs. Today. Amen.