O LORD, the king rejoices in your strength. How great is his joy in the victories you give. (Psalm 21:1, NIV)
Maybe you don’t spend much time there, but the comment boards at pgatour.com, like many such places on the Internet these days, play host to some pretty disgruntled people.
Now what, you might ask, could golf fans have to be so unhappy about? After all, they have the means to enjoy one of the world’s most satisfying sports, both on the course themselves and on TV watching their professional favorites. But here’s where much of the grumbling comes into play: People don’t like it when players give glory to God.
You can understand. We live in a world where atheism’s voice is emboldened by a general disregard for the exhortations of Scripture, and chiefly this one: that we cannot save ourselves. When people do not want God—that is, an authority higher than themselves—they have every reason to explain him away, as well as to rail against those who still proclaim his effective presence in their lives.
This is why I am so encouraged when I read the words of David in opening Psalm 21. The king rejoices in the strength of God.
Consider this. Like many executives today, the king on the throne in Jerusalem had pretty much everything he wanted. He had “earned” his way to the top through a series of plans, decisions, actions, and behaviors that all fell into place. There was only one king in Judah, and there is room for only one top dog in most corporations. So who says it must be you?
If you believe in the sovereign ordinances of God, you recognize that bald truth—it didn’t have to be you, not in any place of success. Rather, God opened doors and paved paths for you. He supplied his strength, his insight, and his rule in giving you what you have.
We have a choice then. We may claim all credit for ourselves and eliminate God. Or we can defer to the Lord of all, giving him glory at every turn—even in our victory speeches—and taking joy in what he has done.
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Jeff Hopper
April 5, 2013
Copyright 2013 Links Players International
The Links Daily Devotional appears Monday-Friday at www.linksplayers.com.