“I gave you land on which you had not labored and cities that you had not built. You are now living in the land I gave you. You are eating grapes from vines that others planted and olives from trees planted by the people who lived there before you.”

Joshua 24:13 TPT

I used to live on a golf course. I would often walk at sundown for exercise and use this time to pray. It was a quiet and beautiful place to walk. When I walked, I usually found one or two golf balls along the way. But one time was different. Something very unusual happened on this day.

I began to find golf balls everywhere on this particular walk. When I had collected five, I began to notice how strange this was. Then, it became eight, then ten, and finally my pockets were literally stuffed with thirteen golf balls! They were all right by the path, and many of them were in good shape and were golf balls I could play with.

When something unusual happens in our daily life, it is a time to tune in to your spiritual antennae. God is often at work. So, I prayed, “Lord, what are you saying through this?” The answer came quickly: “I have called you to walk a specific path. There are going to be curves in your path, but I will bring the fruit to you. All you will have to do is pick it up and stay on my path I have created for you. That is what it means to abide in me and to experience my blessing in your life.”

I often talk about living vertically with God instead of horizontally. Horizontal living means you are forcing things to happen through your own strength. Living vertically means you are abiding in Christ.

“I am the sprouting vine and you’re my branches. As you live in union with me as your source, fruitfulness will stream from within you—but when you live separated from me you are powerless. If a person is separated from me, he is discarded; such branches are gathered up and thrown into the fire to be burned. But if you live in life-union with me and if my words live powerfully within you—then you can ask whatever you desire and it will be done.”

John 15:5–7 TPT

Provision from Obedience

The verse at the beginning of this post in Joshua describes a process by which the people of Israel were being obedient to God’s call to take the promise lands through thirty-seven different battles. God said they won those battles not by their unique talents. They received cities, not by their great strategy. They lived off of vineyards they did not plant. What he is telling us is that the key to living abundantly in God is living in obedience.

The people of Israel conquered the promised land as a result of obedience, not sweat, toil, or natural talent. In our lives God desires to give us fruit from our calling when we fulfill the unique purpose for

which he made us.

“Every believer has received grace gifts, so use them to serve one another as faithful stewards of the many-colored tapestry of God’s grace.”

1 Peter 4:10 TPT

You will not have to manipulate the outcome. Abide completely in his presence and purpose for your life so you can pick the fruit he creates from your life.

“The harvest you reap reveals the seed that you planted. If you plant the corrupt seeds of self-life into this natural realm, you can expect a harvest of corruption. If you plant the good seeds of Spirit-life you will reap beautiful fruits that grow from the everlasting life of the Spirit.”

Galatians 6:8 TPT

His nature is to do exceedingly beyond what we can think or imagine. Attach yourself to the vine to ensure success.

The above post was adapted from Birdies, Bogeys, and Life Lessons from the Game of Golf by Os Hillman.

In golf and life, you don’t always hit a hole in one, but God uses all challenges to demonstrate his grace and mercy. In Birdies, Bogeys, and Life Lessons from the Game of Golf, writer and lifelong golfer Os Hillman shares reflections on golf and the spiritual realities that can be learned from it. Through fifty-two devotions, Os helps us discover how the lessons learned in golf reveal deeper truths about God.

Learn more here.