Jeff Hopper - Go for the Green

A GIFT FOR

FROM

Go for the Green

Copyright 2004, 2012 by Jeff Hopper

All rights reserved. No portion of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any meanselectronic, mechanical, photocopy, recording, scanning, or otherexcept for brief quotations in critical reviews or articles, without the prior written permission of the publisher.

Published in Nashville, Tennessee, by Thomas Nelson. Thomas Nelson is a registered trademark of Thomas Nelson, Inc.

PGA professional Doug Scrivner contributed to the daily golf tips.

Photos on by Mike Houska, Bend, Oregon.

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Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are from The New King James Version. Copyright 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved. Scriptures marked KJV are taken from the King James Version of the Bible. Scriptures marked NASB are taken from the NEW AMERICAN STANDARD BIBLE, copyright The Lockman Foundation 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995. Used by permission. Scriptures marked NIV are taken from THE HOLY BIBLE: NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION. Copyright 1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan Publishing House. All rights reserved. Scriptures marked NLT are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation. Copyright 1996. Used by permission of Tyndale House Foundation, Inc., Wheaton, Illinois 60189. All rights reserved.

ISBN 978-1-4003-1965-7

Printed in China

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To
KATHLEEN AND DOUG,
who know well
how rewarding and how challenging
the game can be.

CONTENTS

I began playing the game of golf as a young boy with my grandpa in Oregon. It wasnt long before it became the focus of my life. As I grew up and pursued it more seriously in high school and college, it became apparent to me that golf, although a wonderful game, did not deserve to hold a position higher than that of God. As I relentlessly pursued the game, I realized that my relationship with Christ gave me much more purpose and direction, and I needed to be diligent about how I lived out my priorities and where I placed my hope and my trust.

I have had the privilege of playing on the PGA Tour for several years now. It is a dream come true, and God has done amazing things to allow me to compete at such a high level. At the beginning of last year, I set out to pursue my life on tour with my number one goal being to glorify God. I have realized that when living and playing for Christ, the rest takes care of itself. I live this out by starting my day with a daily devotional that I read and talk about with my caddie before each round, then praying before we go to competition. Throughout the day, I often find that the thoughts and verses read in the morning calm my nerves and refocus my perspective as I go through the challenges and victories on the course. My hope is that this devotional will give you the same sense of guidance and inspiration as it relates to the great game of golf.

Ben Crane

For God is working in you,
giving you the desire and the power
to do what pleases Him.

PHILIPPIANS 2: 13 NLT

INTRODUCTION
ON THE TEE

Each round of golf begins the same. You pull a ball from the bag, place a tee in the ground, balance that ball, swing loosely a few times, and step up to hit away. In the next few moments, we will find out a lot about you.

Do you hit far? Do you hit it straight? Do you only talk as if you know what youre doing, or do you really know golf?

With so much on the line, that first shot can demand more from you than makes you comfortable. Which means, of course, that golf is much like life.

If we live a life of real activity, each day we are challenged by situations and circumstances that require us to step out in ways that may seem uncomfortable. How we respond in moments like these can reveal who we really are.

Do we act with courage or do we shrink timidly? Are we in the know or in the dark? What are the chances we will succeed, and how are afraid are we that we will fail?

This book encourages you to spend a few minutes each day examining your life through the lens of golf. Since a 4-iron in the backyard literally split my chin before Id even started my first day of kindergarten, I have been marked by this game. It has taught me many lessons, some of them harshly and some of them with great favor.

But most of all golf has taught me that God doesnt show up only at church. He can meet us wherever we are. Often for me that has been on the golf course.

Jeff Hopper

THE OFF-SEASON

I n the dead of winter, golf is often the thing furthest from your mind. You might watch some of those sunny tournaments from some warm course in the desert, but your own clubs are stored away in the closet with your sandals and your swimsuit.

Nothing is innately harmful about walking away from the game. One of Americas finest amateurs in years past, Jay Sigel, lived in the Northeast, and like many of us, he put his clubs away for much of the winter and went about his other business. It never seemed to hurt his game. He was three times U.S. Amateur champion.

Jesus was master of many things. One of them was getting away from the routine to a quiet place where He could put things back into perspective, beginning first with God. We can accomplish much when we are busy. But sometimes we can gain more by stepping back, taking a break, and reordering our lives.

JANUARY 1
TRUE DESIRE

For a day in Your courts is better than a thousand. I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God than dwell in the tents of wickedness.

PSALM 84: 10

Just because you have the time to play golf doesnt mean you have no time left to dream time to dream of a lower handicap, a better driver, a house on the fairway.

Though we know by experience that the world is full of traps, we still are coaxed by the lust of the eyes. We see something we do not have and assume that it will replace the missing pieces in our lives.

The psalmist saw something so differentso permanentin the courts of heaven. To spend a day in Gods presence is to fulfill the longing of a thousand days. More complete, though, is the new covenant, when Christs work has restored our relationship with God! For now our body is the temple of the Holy Spirit. We can dwell with God, and God with us, wherever we go. Every day is that spectacular one day.