Numbers 15:37-39

And the Lord spake unto Moses saying, Speak unto the children of Israel, and bid them that they make them fringes in the borders of their garments throughout their generations, and that they put upon the fringe of the borders a ribband of blue: And it shall be unto you for a fringe, that ye may look upon it, and remember all the commandments of the LORD, and do them; and that ye seek not after your own heart and your own eyes, after which ye use to go a whoring:

Balanced posture, light grip, straight left arm, weight shift to the right side, start downswing with lower body, and complete the follow through are just a few of the debilitating thoughts that go through a golfer’s mind just seconds before he or she attempts to somehow make a smooth and effective swing. Other thoughts that may creep in before liftoff make remembrance to any hazards and the details of a Golf Digest article read earlier in the week.

We’ve all be there and we’ve all suffered as a result. It’s hard to live free worrying about proscribed rules. Proscribed rules or laws are the things a person is forbidden to do as opposed to things that are permissible. A focus on the forbidden and its possible punishments paralyze any chance at free movement.

Living under a set of extraneous rules is a burdensome task. Not only did the laws deal with actions, but other considerations involved what could be worn and eaten by the Jew. We are still to live under the laws and commandments set forth by our Lord, but we are no longer in bondage to the law and the inescapable sins thereof.

Jesus came and fulfilled the law. However, He did not die on the cross so that we may avoid any of obedience to the law. In Matthew 5:17, Jesus told us himself, “think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil.” Thus, He did not come to die on the cross for us to not abide by the 10 Commandments. Obviously, we are still not to lie, cheat, or commitment adultery. He actually came and magnified the laws of God. He was our perfect example and reflected the full meaning of the law.

Instead of external reminders of the law, we who are baptized in the Holy Spirit are given an internal reminder of the necessary prescribed obedience. Our desires are altered and our once instinctive allure to sin turns into a desire to serve a risen Savior. In Jeremiah 31:33, we are reminded and given the assurance that, “this shall be the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel; After those days, saith the LORD, I will put my law in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts; and will be their God, and they shall be my people.” Therefore, we have these promises and guidances written in our hearts.

An effective swing cannot result without the aforementioned techniques. We are to make these movements instinctive if we are to play freely. Similarly, the Christian is still obligated to abide by the laws of God and the direction of our Lord, but the instructions are not in an external checklist. We are thankful for this constant presence of the Holy Spirit within us. It allows us to live a life of freedom and liberty with Christ as our example.