Yesterday’s PGA Championship provided golf fans with heartbreak and excitement. We love when a tournament comes down to the final shots with multiple guys in contention and that’s exactly what we saw. Justin Thomas pulled out the Major win after being seven strokes back to start the final round as he defeated Will Zalatoris in a three-hole playoff. Both finishes are a big deal as Thomas wins his second PGA Championship and Zalatoris becomes the runner-up for another Major. However, the most talked-about story of the tournament is how Mito Pereira had a three-stroke lead heading into Sunday, kept the lead (or a tie) through 17 holes, and was winning by one stroke before teeing off on the 18th hole. As he approached the course’s toughest hole of the week, Pereira just needed a par to win his first-ever PGA Tour event and become a Major Champion. Unfortunately, he hit his drive poorly and his ball landed in a creek. Not getting much better after that, he took a total of six strokes to finish the par 4 18th hole, which moved him down the leaderboard from six under to four under and from first place down to tied for third. It was a devastating end to an otherwise impressive tournament, but Pereira couldn’t do what he needed to do on 18, costing him dearly. He knew he needed a par or better to win, but instead of hitting it safely on the left side of the fairway, he hit the ball right into the water leading to a double bogey. As I listened on the radio, the announcer was describing how Pereira had so much room to hit it over on the left and would have been safe, but instead, he hit the ball in the wrong direction and ended up in one area he wasn’t supposed to allow his ball to land. Even though Pereira didn't want to end up in the water and couldn't imagine getting there, he made a mistake when swinging and had to deal with the consequences. It’s always hard to watch a golfer lose a tournament and let the win slip away, but I think today it can provide us an illustration and encouragement for our own lives. How often do we know the direction we need to go is left, but go right instead? How often do we realize that staying left on the “fairway” will keep us out of harm’s way but find ourselves going right and landing in the water? The reality is that God has given us so much “green fairway” to live and enjoy life with Him and invites us to remain on His path and go in His direction to avoid the hazards. With the very first humans, Adam and Eve, He told them, “...“You are free to eat from any tree in the garden; but you must not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, for when you eat from it you will certainly die” (Genesis 2:16-17; NIV). In other words, stay on the fairway, and avoid the water hazards! But as we know, Adam and Eve gave into temptation, sin entered the world, and now we live with even more “water hazards.” Thankfully, God continues to provide us with boundaries and guidance to help us finish strong, and gives us a “green fairway” when it comes to things like sex and money. Yet, He warns us to avoid going too far right where it gets us in trouble and causes us pain. Hebrews 13:4 (AMP) tells us, “Marriage is to be held in honor among all , and the marriage bed undefiled ; for God will judge the sexually immoral and adulterous.” 1 Timothy 6:10 (NLT) instructs, “For the love of money is the root of all kinds of evil. And some people, craving money, have wandered from the true faith and pierced themselves with many sorrows.” Even though we don’t want to end up in the water and can’t imagine landing there, if we lose our focus on Jesus and disobey by "swinging badly," we have to deal with the consequences. Fortunately, Jesus offers us grace and forgiveness and we can repent and turn to Him. Today, let’s be encouraged to avoid the pain of disobedience and "shots that land in the hazard" and stay committed to hitting the ball straight and going where we clearly need to go. As God leads and guides us onto the "fairway," we can experience the victory found in Psalm 119 1-7 (NLT): “Joyful are people of integrity, who follow the instructions of the Lord. Joyful are those who obey His laws and search for Him with all their hearts. They do not compromise with evil, and they walk only in His paths.
"You have charged us to keep Your commandments carefully. Oh, that my actions would consistently reflect Your decrees! Then I will not be ashamed when I compare my life with Your commands. As I learn Your righteous regulations, I will thank You by living as I should!” I’m Bryce Johnson and you can UNPACK that! PRAYER: Heavenly Father, thank you for protecting me and guiding me in the right direction. I pray I'd view Your commandments as good because they keep me from harm. Please give me the strength to obey. In Jesus' name, I pray, Amen.
Discussion Questions for PACKS:
How can you relate to ending up in a "water hazard" in your own life because of disobedience?
In what ways have you learned to embrace and love God's commandments because they're there for our protection?
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