I went out to play golf with my husband this week. Play is an appropriate word as golf is not something I am serious about. Oh, you might look at me in the golf cart with my clubs, balls, tee, and clothes that wick the moisture and conclude I’m a golfer. Well, minus the flip-flops. Sure, I have the equipment, I’ve even taken dozens of lessons and played numerous rounds of golf over the decades, but I’ve never gotten serious about trying to master the game. It’s just something I play at. It puts me in beautiful surroundings where I can socialize, see wildlife, soak up some Vitamin D and display my lack of seriousness, I mean skill. For a while, I was really into accessorizing. You know, cute shoes, gloves, clothes, hats, and on the accessory list went. But now, I don’t even try to look the part because I am not a real golfer. I play with a golfer, hang out with golfers, live in a community that has a golf course and I actually belong to a group of women golfers! I actually pay money to be in this group.

These are all the thoughts I had as I took this picture and sit here now looking at it. Why don’t I just commit to being a golfer and all that entails? Makes me wonder…what motivates me to be all in. In anything in my life? As I sit here and ponder this question, I realize it’s about value. I suppose I choose what I’m going to commit to and be all in about because of the value it adds to my life. Golf just doesn’t do it for me. I’m not willing to put in the work because it’s hot, requires me to sweat most of the time, and is frustrating. I find practice ranges boring so don’t practice which means I never improve. The value is socialization…being with my husband and others. I’m all about that and for that, all I have to do is show up and sometimes look the part.

Oh, how many areas of my life do I possibly look the part but am far from it? Yes, my mind now goes to the spiritual aspect of my life. Have I learned to look like a Christian, most of the time act like a Christian, and on occasion show up but truth is told, I’m not all in. What about you? Perhaps we get to the point in our lives that being a Christian just “feels like” a lot of work and we just don’t find the value in it. Oh sure, we find value in being saved but in the day-to-day, we’ve lost our desire to be all in or we just haven’t figured out what all in means or looks like? We keep practicing but life just doesn’t seem to go where we are aiming. It’s like chasing the little white ball. Or in my case the pink one.

While developing spiritual disciplines is of utmost importance, if we don’t see the value in them, we’ll never commit the time. Like golf, we can experience some thrilling moments but those bad golf holes or days can leave us frustrated and might even cause us to give up on the game of golf. In the end, we look like me sitting in this golf cart. Anything but all in.

So what motivates us to pursue or to keep with the golf analogy…chase Christ? I’ll say it’s the thrill of finding Him. Those moments of communion with Him, sensing His presence, experiencing the promptings and control of the Spirit in our lives, discovering treasure and truths in His Word that brings wisdom, insight, and peace into our troubles, and learning that there is an eternity with Him waiting for us.

Long, long ago now I had Jeremiah 29:11 on my heart believing God would give me the desires of my heart. He did not, but years later I discovered the verses that followed Jeremiah 29:11. His future and hope for me were that

• I call upon Him

• Pray to Him

• Seek Him

• Search for Him with all of my heart

And glory be to God…I would find Him!

Oh sweet friends, let’s keep chasing Christ!