Chasing The Ball

 The Masters Golf tournament features the best golfers in the world playing to win…a green jacket. Actually, it is much more. 

The winner receives a large monetary check, a trophy, gold medal, an invitation to play in the tournament each year hereafter, and the honor of the choosing the menu for the champions dinner next year. Don’t forget the coveted green jacket.

Playing golf involves much more than chasing a ball around a golf course. Professional golfers are trained athletes. Their tools are a set of golf clubs, a golf ball, and good shoes. The goal is to tee off or hit the ball from a designated starting point, aimed toward an ending point or hole on the green.

Between the starting and ending points lie many difficulties, such as rolling hills, trees, bushes, sand traps and long distances. The player must negotiate each of these situations in order to get the ball into the hole. In addition to these issues, the player who wins must get the ball into the hole with fewer strokes than his opponent.

Playing golf requires patience, focus and skill. The player must deny thirst, hunger, and fatigue in order to win the prize.

Following Jesus is much like the game of golf. Read with me: (Jesus said) “If any of you wants to be my follower, you must give up your own way, take up your cross daily, and follow me.” Luke 9:23

Did you get that? Give up your own way! Following Jesus involves going Jesus’ way. Just like the golfer who follows the path on the golf course, a Jesus follower is on the Jesus path.

A serious golfer follows the path, hole by hole, beginning with the first hole and ending with number 18. Each golf hole seems to become progressively more difficult.

The Jesus follower is also on a path. He has given up his own way and is following Jesus. The Bible said, “taking up your cross on a daily basis.”  Your cross is your identity with Jesus, your badge as a Christ follower. It involves long distances, traps in our lives and much time, in fact it involves our entire lives.

Playing golf is a worthy exercise in patience and skill, however following Jesus yields eternal life. Not only life with Jesus on this course but finally life with Jesus…forever.

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