A Grinder                                                                                                    11-07-13

Early message this week as I have been called out of town with my job tomorrow morning. Will be gone all day. Hope you enjoy it. God Bless.

1 Peter 2:19-20 (NASB) ¹⁹  For this finds favor, if for the sake of conscience toward God a person bears up under sorrows when suffering unjustly.
²⁰  For what credit is there if, when you sin and are harshly treated, you endure it with patience? But if when you do what is right and suffer for it you patiently endure it, this finds favor with God.

No, I am not talking about that grinder. You know the one don't you?.. one of those cheesesteak sandwiches on the french baguette that make your mouth water and add pounds just at the thought of eating one! No, unfortunately.Actually, my sister and Tiger Woods got me to thinking  this week. I heard a television interview this week talking about what makes Tiger such a great golfer. There were a number of differing opinions but a near unanimous agreement on one trait above all others..Tiger Woods is the greatest "grinder" the game has ever seen. What do you mean Ronnie? O.K. try and picture this. You spend hour after hour at the practice tee trying to groove your swing. Swing after swing after swing and after God only knows how many swings, it seems that by golly you, at last are hitting the ball straight. Halleleuia! O.K. now multiply that effort for all the clubs in the bag(14 of em') and for all the different situations that Tiger finds himself in on the course; and you have an idea of the time and effort expended to play at his level. But, it's not commitment we're talking about here. After all the practice, when it's time to tee off in a real tournament, he walks up to the first tee to thunderous applause, television cameras rolling and promptly duckhooks his shot out in the second cut of the heavy rough. For all you non golfers suffice it to say, it isn't pretty. But, the real kicker is this, as the day rolls on Tiger's game doesn't get any better. Nobody can really figure it out. He's in the sand, he's in the rough, he's everywhere EXCEPT the fairway. He's scrambling on every hole. The commentators offer up many plausible reasons but no one has the answer. Fresh out of reasons, they resign themselves and you hear them say something like " well his 'A' game has deserted him today and he's really suffering out there he'll just have to grind it out." It's not going his way but he keeps on keeping on. He's suffering out there but he finds a way. He grinds it out; and, at the end of the day you look at the leaderboard and guess whose name is up there? Yep, you got it TIGER WOODS! Somehow, he has found a way. Through adversity he persevered and ground it out. That is what Tiger Woods does best.That is why Tiger Woods is the best golfer in the world. (number 1 in the world as of this past Monday)

I watched my sister this week as she took care of my mother and was reminded of the above story. She was attending to my mother's needs and receiving some pretty harsh and downright angry comments for her efforts. Memaw wasn't herself that day. LOL But, Betty plodded right on. She patiently endured. A virtue in and of itself. It wasn't pretty. She was struggling to keep composed, but, she found a way. I'll give her credit, I would have certainly lost my cool. Next day she showed up again with a smile on her face and a sweetness to her voice. It wasn't easy, she was grinding it out. You gettin' the picture? That's the way it goes with us sometimes isn't it? You're doing it right the best you can. Praying, reading your Bible, going to church. Raising the kids, working, paying the bills etc., etc., but it's tough and it isn't getting any easier is it?  It's not like you sometimes hear on T.V. Just have enough faith and sow this seed and watch God take all your problems away. Find God's favor through this love offering. But, for YOU it hasn't worked out that way has it? No, no it's been tough. It's been a grind a lot of the time hasn't it. Look at verse 20 again.

1 Peter 2:20 (NASB) ²⁰  For what credit is there if, when you sin and are harshly treated, you endure it with patience? But if when you do what is right and suffer for it you patiently endure it, this finds favor with God.
Sometimes we, like Tiger have to grind it out. It isn't pretty. It ain't no Shangri-la. But, if we can just find a way and hang in there,"...this finds favor with God." God hasn't forgotten about you. 

Galatians 6:9 (NASB) ⁹  Let us not lose heart in doing good, for in due time we will reap if we do not grow weary.
Hang in there. He's got your back.

Psalm 113:7-8 (NASB) ⁷  He raises the poor from the dust And lifts the needy from the ash heap,
⁸  To make them sit with princes, With the princes of His people.




God Bless