But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call in Christ Jesus. (Philippians 3:13b-14, ESV)
Even before Tracy Hanson joined the staff of Links Players, she made a trip to Arizona to visit some of our Fellowships, do a couple of clinics, and generally class up the place. One afternoon she and I went to Mesa Country Club for a casual round and a time to walk and chat. While we were on the range warming up she said to me, “You have a good swing, but you need to put more energy into it.”
“Energy?” I asked lazily. “What does that mean?”
Actually I was pretty excited about this insight, especially from such an outstanding player, and I began trying to create more “energy” through the ball. About the third or fourth try I got it, and the sound of the club hitting the ball was noticeably different. So was the result.
Out on the course I kept trying to put energy into every shot, and when I got it right I hit the ball a club or two farther and generally quite straight. Why had I lost that element in my swing, I wondered, and how could I add it back on a consistent basis? The answer to the first question was simple: I had fallen into the habit of “guiding” my shots. The fear of making a mistake caused me to reduce the energy in the hope of improving accuracy.
I had become the person driving 50 MPH on the 70 MPH freeway, thinking the slower speed would keep me in the lane better. I had become the Christian who is afraid he might offend someone, so he rarely talks about his beliefs or about Jesus.
The energy that is available to us as followers of Jesus—that is, the very Spirit of God living inside us—is enough to light up a world, let alone light up every room we walk into and every conversation we have. But do we use it? I know I neglect it far too often, opting instead for the “safe” way of behaving. Sure, I still have a nice swing when I talk to folks, but sometimes it needs more energy.
If you read today’s verses, you can see that Paul was all about energy. “Straining forward,” he said, he pressed on toward the goal. That is the way I want to hit golf shots, but more important by far it is the way I want to live my life for Christ. I want to put energy into every conversation, every prayer, and every person I meet.
How can I do that? Not by being energetic (which might be more about me), but by being energized. The amazing power that dwells in all who follow Jesus is the source, and by tapping into that I can put more energy into my life, my relationships, and my ministry. And so can you.
—
Lewis Greer
January 21, 2016
Copyright 2016 Links Players International
The Links Daily Devotional appears Monday-Friday at www.linksplayers.com.