“Remember, O God, who I am, what I’ve done! I’ve lived an honest life before you, my heart’s been true and steady. I’ve lived to please you; lived for your approval.” And then the tears flowed. Hezekiah wept. (2 Kings 20:3, The Message)
I have the privilege to regularly meet with some of my local Links Fellowships. I not only get to see their passion and commitment on the golf course; I also see it during the times we meet and study God’s word together.
One Fellowship has affectionately named themselves the “struggle brothers.” They have earned this moniker by remembering and relating their struggles on the golf course with each other, and for that matter, anyone else who would listen. But there is so much more to the story. The life struggles which are well documented in this group make us closer and more transparent.
We study together. We pray. We tell stories. We listen to the stories of each other. We bind up and visit our brothers in the hospital or on the road to recovery. And there is one thing for sure: we leave changed and encouraged from being with one another.
Last week we met, and one of our struggle brothers brought his eight-year-old son with him because they were heading to a doctor’s appointment after our time together. I watched this boy as he pretended to be interested in his phone and work that he brought with him, but I knew he was listening to our conversation. At the end of each of our study, we go around the table (usually there are five or six of us) and ask for prayer requests. These prayer requests are not for someone’s aunt in Toledo who is having a minor surgery next month. We make it personal. What is it that we need prayer for you right now?
Well, our designated prayer leader, whose son was listening, was going around praying for our individual requests. When he prayed for his family, his prayer was, “Oh God, help me to be a better leader in my family. Help me to be a better dad and a better husband….” And then his tears would flow. Not tears of sorrow but tears of joy and passion, because he is so grateful that he can take these needs for all of us directly to our Father who is listening and answering these requests. We honor God with bold prayers, and God answers bold prayers. He also honors our heart and our passion which may just be reflected in our tears. I know his honesty impacted his young son who was learning a valuable lesson and may not have realized the importance yet.
So much is distilled in our tears, not the least of which is wisdom in living life. From my own tears, I have learned that if you follow your tears, you will find your heart. If you find your heart, you will find what is dear to God. And if you find what is dear to God, you will find the answer to how you should live your life. (Ken Gire, Windows of the Soul)
In another Links Fellowship I attend, we conclude with the question, “Now what is the application of that scripture to our life?” The scripture was Luke 24, describing the resurrection of Jesus. A passionate man replied that just as Peter and John ran to the empty tomb that first resurrection morning, we too should run to Jesus. And sudden tears came to his eyes. “You know, this is not just a good idea. If this resurrection is true, we should run to everyone we know with the Good News of the greatest event in the history of the world.” And tears of gratitude will follow.
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Randy Wolff
April 9, 2012
Copyright © 2012 Links Players International
The Links Daily Devotional appears Monday through Friday and is archived by passage and topic at www.linksplayers.com.