…so that you are not lacking in any gift, awaiting eagerly the revelation of our Lord Jesus Christ, who will also confirm you to the end, blameless in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ. God is faithful, through whom you were called into fellowship with His Son, Jesus Christ our Lord. (1 Corinthians 1:7-9, NASB)
Golf is a game for a lifetime. Very few sports allow the very young and old to play the same game, enjoy the unequal results, and still have true fellowship with each other.
For the serious-minded, golf can also be a calling. A precious few play professionally and make their living from the game. But apart from being a professional, you might play golf intentionally to cultivate business or personal relationships, including with your own family. Even more, you might find ministry in golf, taking the time spent with others to share what is most important to you.
Biblically speaking, the word calling is an interesting one, and it goes beyond men and women who are called to a church or a ministry. We are all called to something very special that God has prepared. In this way, calling is a privilege over and above a responsibility. We all get to work with the God of the universe to advance his kingdom in so many unique ways. We simply do what we can, and he does what only he can.
In Ephesians 2:10 we read, “For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them.” This is for all of us, not only a select few. We were all created for a calling of good works.
Moses stretched out his hand and then God parted the Red Sea. The early church served God and others and the Lord added to their number daily. Moses stretched out his hand. The early church served. God did all the rest. Only God can part the Red Sea and save souls daily. Our part, our calling, is to stretch out our hands and serve others. God will do his part.
We get to partner with God and see him do marvelous work. He does this work not so that we will love him but because he already does. It is worked out as we are engaged in our own unique calling.
Now you might be saying, “Oh, that sounds great for all those deeply spiritual and talented souls who know their calling.” I have experienced that this is not the case. God uses ordinary B-/C+ people who are called to his mission. In 1 Corinthians 2:4-5 we find a demonstration that God’s mighty work may be best accomplished by average folks like you and me. Paul wrote: “My message and my preaching were not in persuasive words of wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power, so that your faith would not rest on the wisdom of men, but on the power of God.”
The work we do is greater than us. We get to go home to our families and tell them what work the Lord has done for us. We also can do it with people in our office and with our neighbors and our golf partners. We can tell our story. We plant the seeds and God gives the growth. What a magnificent calling this is! Let’s do it.
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Randy Wolff
March 6, 2018
Copyright 2018 Links Players International
The Links Daily Devotional appears Monday-Friday at www.linksplayers.com.