PPic: Oberon Golf Course - Links Pro Am 2006

PGA Chaplain Bible Studies

Study 13 – April 7th to April 13th 2008.
Reading – John Chapter Ch15: verses 1 to 4.

Golf Can Be A Lonely Game?

Jesus said; “I am the real vine and my Father is the gardener. He breaks off every branch in me that does not bear fruit, and prunes every branch that does bear fruit, so that it will be clean and bear more fruit. You have already been made clean by the teaching I have given you. Remain united to me and I will remain united to you. A branch cannot bear fruit by itself; it can only do so if it remains in the vine. In the same way you cannot bear fruit unless you remain in me”.
John Chapter 15: verses 1 to 4. (Good News Bible)

Golf can be a very selfish and individual sport. I remember very early on in my chaplaincy ministry introducing myself to a tour player while he was practising. After our initial conversation he made a comment that has helped me see the value of the role a chaplain can have in golf. He said; “It was a good idea to be a chaplain because out on the tour it can get very lonely”.

Golf does not have the advantage many team sports do of close bonds among fellow team members. This is not to say that there are not great friendships among the tour players because there is. But golf is very much an individual and a performance driven game that when you are not performing, life can get lonely and isolated as you lose entry status into tournaments.

When a person believes in Jesus Christ as the Son of God and the one through whom we become children of God, a whole new relationship begins with God. Loneliness does not exist because of the relationship we have with the Father and the Son. This is not to say we will not feel lonely at times; but it is to say God will always be with us while we stay close to God. In our passage from John Chapter 15 this week Jesus begins to explain to the disciples who were his followers just what following him means.

Using a familiar analogy of the time Jesus likens our relationship to God like a grape vine. The Father (God) is the gardener, Jesus (Son) is the vine and we are the branches. What a great illustration of our connection to and our dependence on God. How different this description is to other philosophies and religions that view us as the centre of the universe. We are but branches that depend upon the vine and are controlled by the gardener. Praise God for that! Jesus speaks of our need as believers to remain connected to God, of being fruitful in our lives for God and being pruned so that we might be more productive. Branches that bear no fruit are thrown away.

This theme will be explored further as we go through the chapter over the coming weeks. The gift of God through Jesus is the relationship of dependence we have on God. We need to remain connected to Jesus.

This is truly on of the great strengths of following Jesus. The relationship is the key rather than how much effort or credits we may earn through our behaviour.
Golf can be a lonely game, especially when you are playing badly. But life for us who follow Jesus is one of friendship with God who walks with us through life.

Prayer
God our father, we rejoice that you are our gardener, taking care of our life. Help me to stay close to Jesus that my life will be fruitful bringing his life to the world. Amen.

Upcoming Events

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• 20th – 21st September 2008.
  Japan Friendship and Links Golf Weekend
  
  Kangaroo Valley and Southern Highlands NSW
  

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