Works in Progress

"The golf swing is just about the farthest thing from a perfectible discipline in athletics...The most reliable swings are only relatively repeatable.  They never stop being works in progress."

Butch Harmon (citation below)

When it comes to golf, I have never been more than a dabbler.  I have never been committed to playing and improving at golf as I have with others sports like baseball or ten-pin bowling.  I have never had professional lessons, have never been a member of a club, or played competitively.  To me golf is a fun activity over the past decades I have had various levels of engagement with, and my seasons of playing "regular" golf once a week is dwarfed by long stretches when I wasn't playing.

I don't believe a sane person steps onto a golf course and expects to play at the level they played in previous years without practice.  As a teacher of professional golfers, Butch Harmon knows what he is talking about.  Players at the top of their game, people who have dedicated their lives to hitting a golf ball with accurate precision, do not maintain their skill without hard work.  It is easy to develop bad habits.  It is relatively simple for a pro to know what to do, but even they end up in deep rough, bunkers, and hit into the water.  Executing a shot under pressure is hard.  Overcoming injuries is part of every sport, and navigating the changes age brings and remaining mentally strong separates decent golfers from great ones.

This need for constant maintenance and labour to maintain a consistently good golf swing reminds me of the effort a Christian must expend in following Jesus.  No matter our age, perceived level of maturity, or role in the church, we are all works in progress.  Watching golfers walk through beautiful scenery over a weekend and making millions of dollars seems quite the life, but it is good to have an awareness of the kind of dedication and practice required to reach such a level of play.  To play golf at a high level requires years of practice, thousands of practice shots of all kinds, and continual coaching.  As we follow Christ we also must examine our hearts and minds, confessing and repenting of sin, and pressing on in faith.

Our hearts and minds are more difficult to manage than a slice or hook.  What often happens with us dabbling golfers is we learn to manage our slice rather than correcting it through mechanics.  We stop aiming at the target itself because we project our former tendencies into the current shot.  The Gospel enables us to be overcomers, to live our lives in perfect alignment with God - not to put up with sinful behaviour we dismiss like a "power slice" - as if that's our intention and we wouldn't rather hit straight and true.  God's will is for us to examine our own hearts, repent of our sin, and choose to do what is right.  This takes effort and the result is humility, grace, and honour to God's glory.   We make a lot of mistakes, and God keeps loving us.  There is nothing good in us, but thanks to God's grace we can grow and persevere through trials.

We are all works in progress, and praise the LORD it is He who does the work in us as we partner with Him.

(Dweck, Carol S. Mindset. New York. Ballentine Books. 2006. Print.)

Forgiveness and Fear

"If You, LORD, should mark iniquities, O Lord, who could stand? ⁴  But there is forgiveness with You, that You may be feared."

Psalm 130:3-4

The Psalmist rightly pointed out the inability of anyone to stand before God in their own righteousness.  Man is universally condemned by his sin and rebellion before a holy God.  Yet God in His mercy, has not dealt with us according to our sins.  He has given us life, sent His Son to seek and save the lost, and opened our eyes to salvation through the Gospel.  A single sin would disqualify us from the presence of God forever, yet we have been washed clean and made righteous by faith in Jesus Christ.  God demonstrated His love through the death of Jesus for us sinners so we might be made saints.

There is forgiveness with God, and verse 4 says for this grace He deserves our reverence and fear.  The ironic thing is because we have been forgiven and adopted into God's family we can actually fear God less.  We can carelessly shrug at the very sins which Jesus died to cleanse and save us from.  This follows the pattern of man's flesh and folly.  God gave His people the Law to prove their sinfulness, and they used it to justify themselves as righteous.  God revealed His glory in creation, and man chose to worship creatures rather than the Creator, offering sacrifices to the sun rather than the One who spoke it into existence.  Like the parable Jesus told of the servant forgiven of his massive debt, he seemed to forget all he had been forgiven and threw a fellow servant in prison for owing him loose change in comparison.  God's forgiveness isn't to make us think He will go easy on our sin, but to remember how much Jesus suffered to free us from it.

Because God has forgiven us, we ought to fear Him more - not less.  Forgiveness and salvation are gifts of God!  We walk in the fear of the LORD when we avoid evil, choosing to do what pleases God and putting away from us all manner of sin.  God cleansed us of all that condemned us and deserves our eternal loyalty and allegiance.  Like the midwives in Egypt who feared the LORD, the fear of God results in making choices which honour Him above all.  Jonah 1:16 tells us what the mariners did who were saved from the storm:  "Then the men feared the LORD exceedingly, and offered a sacrifice to the LORD and took vows."  God has saved us from eternal damnation and in addition granted us miraculous salvation, eternal life with Him forever.  He delivered us from hell and saved us for Him.  Fear the LORD, you His saints!  Praise Him forever and ever.

Turning the Other Cheek

The scriptures are maligned when removed from their immediate context.  When the Bible is reduced to cliches, the original meaning is lost and replaced with assumptions and misconceptions of flawed people.  Take the now-cliche phrase, "Turn the other cheek."  The modern interpretation of this statement of Jesus is to be passive and avoid confrontation, to simply take personal attacks and say:  "Thank you - may I have another?"  Others have used this verse to encourage others to willingly remain in abusive or dangerous situations.  These interpretations misrepresent what Jesus is saying.

In the Law of Moses, people had the right of retribution (Lev. 24:17-20).  The Law provided protection for the innocent and provided limits on punishing wrongdoers so the "punishment fit the crime."  Jesus said in Matthew 5:38-39, "You have heard that it was said, 'An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.' ³⁹  But I tell you not to resist an evil person. But whoever slaps you on your right cheek, turn the other to him also."  Instead of urging people to press their legal rights to the full extent in punishing wrongdoers, Jesus told His followers not to return in kind.  Under the Law if someone accidentally gouged out your eye, you could take them to law and have their eye gouged out too.  There was no requirement a victim needed to force the other to lose an eye.  Jesus commanded His followers to not use law to take revenge on others, for vengeance is the LORD's and He will repay.  There is nothing passive about "turning the other cheek."  We are to actively trust God's protection and power over our lives more than pressing our legal rights in court.  Instead of vigorously defending or standing up for self, we can stand strong in faith of God who loves us.

Jesus continued in Matthew 5:40-42, "If anyone wants to sue you and take away your tunic, let him have your cloak also. ⁴¹  And whoever compels you to go one mile, go with him two."  Those who followed Jesus were to be characterised by humility before God and men, not demanding retribution or seeking revenge.  Christians are called to overcome evil with good.  "Kill them with kindness," the world says, but this focuses on my effort instead of viewing the situation through the Gospel and all Jesus has done for me.  I can entrust my clothing and time to God's control and go far beyond what the world would say is "reasonable."  We are benefactors of God's grace and should extend the same to others - even if the world deems them undeserving.  That's exactly what grace is, right?

Paul spoke on the same theme in Romans 12:17-19:  "Repay no one evil for evil. Have regard for good things in the sight of all men. ¹⁸  If it is possible, as much as depends on you, live peaceably with all men. ¹⁹  Beloved, do not avenge yourselves, but rather give place to wrath; for it is written, "Vengeance is Mine, I will repay," says the Lord."  When we receive the equivalent of a slap to the face, we have a choice if we will return in like manner.  If harsh words are spoken to us, we do not need to avenge ourselves with harsh words of our own.  As we follow Jesus we will learn to actively submit to His will in our interactions with others, choosing the path of grace over forcefully demanding our rights.  If we are in Christ, our actions will follow His command in Matthew 5:44, "But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you..."  Instead of self-preservation, a follower of Jesus seeks how to love, bless, and do good to our enemies.  Our Saviour Jesus Christ has provided our example.

Water From the Rock

"Then all the congregation of the children of Israel set out on their journey from the Wilderness of Sin, according to the commandment of the LORD, and camped in Rephidim; but there was no water for the people to drink."

Exodus 17:1

It is significant God led the children of Israel to a place where there was a lack of what they needed.  They went to Rephidim according to God's command, yet there was no water!  The children of Israel did not pray for water but complained against the leadership of Moses.  One might think because God had miraculously made sweet the undrinkable waters of Marah they would have considered the infinite power of God.  In their distress the people did what we also tend to do instead of seeking God:  we think of ourselves and complain!  All along, God had their good in mind.  God led the people to a place without water so He could be revealed as their supply.  Jesus was led by the Holy Spirit into the wilderness where there was no food because men do not live on bread alone, but by every word of God.

God knew the needs of His people and their livestock, and He would supply an abundance of water for all.  How might this passage compare to your current situation?  We can be led by the Spirit and experience dry times, even though He is the Living Water which regenerates and refreshes our souls.  Will we look at our hopeless situation and despair, or will we thank God for His leading and provision?  If we open our mouths in thanksgiving and praise, we will fill us with the joy of the LORD.  God heard the complaints of His people and graciously met their needs after speaking to Moses in Exodus 17:6:  "Behold, I will stand before you there on the rock in Horeb; and you shall strike the rock, and water will come out of it, that the people may drink." And Moses did so in the sight of the elders of Israel."

God chose to provide water in conjunction with the obedience of Moses.  It is obvious God could have led the people to an oasis, even as He did in bringing them to Elim (Exodus 15:27).  While we want our needs met speedily at our destination, God accomplishes great good through the trials of our long journey.  When we are thirsty, let us not complain against God or those in leadership roles in the church.  Instead, see the LORD to satisfy your soul and be willing to be an obedient instrument God employs to meet the needs of others.  Lift your eyes above the barren landscape which surrounds you and fix your eyes on our risen LORD Jesus Christ.  He has promised Living Water to all who repent and come to Him.  We need never thirst again, and you can be the source of His life for others!