God’s Hand-picked Audience
December 22, 2024
Don’t settle for second best
March 14, 2017
Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen. –HEBREWS 11:1
Faith is the assurance of things hoped for…the conviction of things not seen. It is confident obedience to the word of God, regardless of circumstances or consequences. Faith is an active thing, not a passive feeling. I wonder how many Christians never really exercise their faith? They’ve trusted God for their salvation, but cannot (or will not) trust Him in their day to day living. What a waste!
A friend of mine once played the Augusta National Golf Course where the Masters is held each year. His assigned caddie watched his shots for a while so he could help him with club selection on the course, then they were off. My friend said he was playing fairly well when he came to the famous “Amen Corner.” At number 13 (a par-5) he hit a booming drive, then asked his caddie what iron he needed to lay up. Knowing that a lot of pros had tried to hit over the creek and on to the green in two—and missed—he never thought of trying it himself. His caddie looked at him and said, “You flew all the way from Oklahoma to play this course?” My friend nodded. “Think you’ll ever play here again?” My friend said no, he did not imagine he would be back. “Then mister,” the caddie said, “you’ve come too far to lay up.” God has brought us so far. Too far, in fact, for us to settle back in the safety of the ordinary and not exercise our faith. We’ve simply come too far to lay up…and we’ll never pass this way again.
A friend of mine once played the Augusta National Golf Course where the Masters is held each year. His assigned caddie watched his shots for a while so he could help him with club selection on the course, then they were off. My friend said he was playing fairly well when he came to the famous “Amen Corner.” At number 13 (a par-5) he hit a booming drive, then asked his caddie what iron he needed to lay up. Knowing that a lot of pros had tried to hit over the creek and on to the green in two—and missed—he never thought of trying it himself. His caddie looked at him and said, “You flew all the way from Oklahoma to play this course?” My friend nodded. “Think you’ll ever play here again?” My friend said no, he did not imagine he would be back. “Then mister,” the caddie said, “you’ve come too far to lay up.” God has brought us so far. Too far, in fact, for us to settle back in the safety of the ordinary and not exercise our faith. We’ve simply come too far to lay up…and we’ll never pass this way again.
