They were continually devoting themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. (Acts 2:42, NASB)
Some of my favorite golf memories are of playing Beechwood Golf Course by myself, on a cool Indiana evening. I loved the manicured fairways, the great variety of trees, and the good shots I wished I could hit when it counted. It was a great time of practice and a chance to think through the game I had grown to love. The real fun, however, was traveling to junior tournaments, playing in high school tournaments, and hanging around Beechwood with my longtime golf buddies.
Life is similar to golf in this regard. Being alone can be a time to read, listen, think, and pray. But it’s the time with family, friends, co-workers, customers, and others that can bring a great amount of joy.
It’s the time with family, friends, co-workers, customers, and others that can bring a great amount of joy.That said, I want to add my amen to some recent devotions we have offered about the need for fellowship with other believers. And I don’t mean just hanging out with your Christian buddies for a round of golf free of cussing, gambling, drinking, and cigar smoking—you know, the kind of golf a Baptist preacher could respect!
My own church at home in Texas has also been looking at matters of fellowship, encouraging an understanding of what it means to live alongside brothers and sisters in supporting one another, especially as we walk with Christ.
Along with this, I recently became aware of a video by Francis Chan, a preacher and author who has some powerful things to say about Christ’s people in fellowship with one another. You’ll want to watch that video here, but let me summarize it for you so you can keep reading for now: Most of what we call fellowship is really just “getting together.” But the fellowship of believers is meant to be much more involved than that—where we eat and learn and pray together, where we rejoice with one another and support each other in times of burden.
This year I have moved from being a long-time club professional to the work of planting Links Fellowships, and these principles of fellowship are just want I want to see develop in my groups. Whether we’re taking about a Links Fellowship or another small fellowship you are involved with, they are not something to drop in on when it’s convenient. Living life together should be done seven days a week, not just an hour now and then.
At a recent gathering of brothers in Colorado, Jim Hiskey asked the group, “Are we one?” Jim cited Paul’s words to the Galatians, “For you are all one in Christ Jesus” (Galatians 3:28). Paul also wrote to the Ephesians, “I… implore you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling with which you have been called, with all humility and gentleness, with patience, showing tolerance for one another in love, being diligent to preserve the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace” (Ephesians 4:1-3). Like Francis Chan says, that’s a whole lot more than a potluck!
I hope you enjoy your alone time, whether it is on the golf course, at home with your Bible or a good book, or maybe taking a cat nap. But I really hope you are in a situation where you can share your life in fellowship with the people God has put in your life.
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Bill Euler
October 30, 2017
Copyright 2017 Links Players International
The Links Daily Devotional appears Monday-Friday at www.linksplayers.com.