The other day I was passing a Golf course and noticed they were doing some major earthworks and had cut down some large trees, I was thinking that some of the Macrocarpa would make some great outdoor furniture, or even look good when turned up on a lathe, excuse my drooling over slabs of timber but there is a lot of joy in working with some of these timbers even though they look a bit rough as growing trees.
Golf is pretty big in the news since that young fella Fox beat the rest of the world at St Andrews the other day, quite a feat for a Colonial from down under.
Of course, you don’t just pick up a club and become that good overnight, it takes many hours of practice and discipline to get that good, which reminds me discipline isn’t a word that is used much today probably because it sounds too confined in this age of liberty and free expression.
The bible refers to discipline as chastening or correction, Deuteronomy 8: 5. You shall also consider in your heart, that as a man chastens his son, so the LORD your God chastens you.
Proverbs 3: 12. For whom the LORD loves He corrects; even as a father corrects the son in whom he delights.
With no discipline we would be like wild animals but a good father who loves his children will correct them, if you want to achieve in any field today you must discipline yourself, nobody wants to employ people who are slack and don’t turn up on time or have bad habits and there is too many like that today.
But getting back to Golf, have you noticed that the ball is not smooth like an egg or Table Tennis ball, if you have a good look it is covered in dimples which have been placed there under pressure. The average amount of dimples on one ball is 336, some have more, some have less, but the reason is that it increases lift and reduces aerodynamic drag allowing it to fly twice as far as a smooth ball, pressure has made it to be perfect.
Have you ever had a chat with a golf ball and asked what it felt like being pressurized, sorry I’m getting carried away, but pressure is sometimes a good thing in making us more like Christ because it helps remove the things that will hinder our progress as we follow Jesus.
At times we have pressure and experience problems and adversities, some self-inflicted, some not, but remember our God who loves us will still bless during adversity.
Back to golf, did you know that the first golf balls were made of a leather case that was stuffed with feathers but was not so good when it got wet, so through trial and error they found a way through pressure to make the very best ball available.
These principles are similar for Christians; Christianity is not about soft feathers and wet saggy skins, but it’s about people like you and me learning sometimes through adversity to live as Jesus did so that we may be fit for the kingdom of God.
God has saved us by His amazing grace and His grace alone, the death of Jesus Christ on the cross was sufficient to save whosoever that will come and needs no help from man’s ideas or any churches exclusive doctrines to qualify us for God’s kingdom, there are plenty of false ideas out there. Like golf, get the best instructors.
Peter 4: 12. Beloved, don’t think it is strange concerning the fiery trial, which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened to you. 13. But rejoice because you are a partaker of Christ’s sufferings; that when his glory is revealed you may be glad also with exceeding joy.
So, we see that trials and testing are necessary, this doesn’t mean we have to endure anything like what Jesus endured on the cross but for us it’s just the day-by-day trials, Rugby and League players and athletes who must train hard are the extreme, but whatever our place in life we will encounter the discipline of learning that helps us endure what life will throw at us. James 1: 2-3. My brothers and sisters count it all joy when you encounter various trials. Knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience.
Let us not forget that if we are a part of God’s family and an heir to all the promises for those who are following Jesus Christ, He is able to share in and help in our difficulties because He has been there Himself, we are so blessed above and beyond what those outside of Christ experience but desire that they too may experience this wonderful hope of eternity that one day will be without all the tribulations of this world.
1Corinthians 10: 13. There is no temptation taken you but such that is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above what you are able, but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that you may be able to bear it.
Having read in the Old Testament of the beautiful carvings and timberwork in the temple it makes you wonder what some of the heavenly mansions are going to look like and if golf is played when this earth is refurbished, I think you will find courses to dream for, with flower strewn pathways and the clearest water in the ponds so you can see your ball if you go off course and all the trees bearing fruit four times a year.
Remember, you are not going to be like a golf ball getting smashed with a driver, God treats us like His beloved children because we are special in His sight, we have been purchased with the blood of His dear son Jesus Christ who was judged on our behalf.
Well, that’s all the writing from the workshop today, I’ve got to sharpen some of my tools tonight to be ready for tomorrow, it’s no use starting the day with blunt tools. Are you prepared for tomorrow? But what about right now?
Matthew 24: 44. Therefore you also be ready: for in such an hour as you think not the Son of man will come.
