Grooving My Swing

"On the other hand, discipline yourself for the purpose of godliness"  (1 Timothy 4:7b)

I know.  I know.  Already you are thinking: "Not another one of his golf analogies!"  Yep.  I am afraid so.  But I hope that you won't let that stop you from reading through to the end.  Hidden in this unusual-sounding term - "grooving my swing" - I believe to be a very sound and practical spiritual truth for living as Christians today.

To "groove your swing" as a golfer is to practice your basic golf swing over and over until it becomes something consistent, something dependable, something in which you feel confident.  Oh, to be sure you will adapt it slightly from situation to situation depending on the lie of the ball and the distance you need to cover.  But the swing itself must become the picture of consistency and sameness, something dependable and trustworthy.  Are you beginning to see the rays of a light of Bible truth breaking through?

In his letter to a young pastor named Timothy, the Apostle Paul urged him to "discipline" himself in personal godliness.  I love the King James Version's use of the word "exercise," a translation of the Greek verb gumnazo from which we get our word "gymnastics" or "gymnasium."  It is a wonderful picture of "working out" spiritually.  That is what a truly dedicated golfer will do in seeking to "groove his swing" and that is what every true follower of Jesus Christ needs to do in "grooving" his walk.

You see, beloved, I am convinced of one thing that is amply confirmed in Scripture, that is that people are not nearly so interested in what we know as Christians as in how we've been transformed by the power of the gospel of Jesus Christ.  Show people what Jesus can do for them by showing them what He has done for you!  And in order to do that, you must as Paul advised Timothy "discipline yourself for the purpose of godliness."  It takes practice to be a single-digit handicapper in golf, beloved, and it takes practice to be a godly Christian.  Sitting in a church pew on Sunday or in a small group on Thursday won't get the job done!  You are going to have to vigorously and faithfully apply the principles of Scripture to every detail of your daily living.  That will be to "groove your swing," to "exercise yourself for the purpose of godliness"!

My golf game still needs a lot of "grooving," beloved, and I'll keep at it in my spare time.  But my lifestyle needs a lot of "grooving" as well and that one need must become the priority of my life.  Golf is just a game that is forgotten as soon as we turn our attention to something else.  But living for Jesus Christ is the passion of our existence, the focal point of our living.  Let me urge you, then, to make it your highest priority to "groove" your lifestyle, to bring it into line with the glorious standard laid down in the principles of God's Word.

I need to go and practice!  Want to join me?

Ron