09/28/2021
AIMING ARROWS 🎯 9/28/21
(Word of Life Weekly Devotion)
I’ve never been a real big hunter. I probably haven’t shot a bow but a handful of times. However, my oldest son loves hunting, and each year (when he was younger) I would help him sight in his bow. We would set the target 🎯 out at 20 yards first and set the bow. Once we had it set at 20 yards, we would back up to 30 yards then move to 40 yards. I’ve learned over time you have pins on the bow that you adjust and set for each yardage marker you may have to shoot from. Once everything is set, you practice. Aiming the bow can be difficult. It takes patience, repetition, and diligence to be able to aim the bow where the arrow will consistently hit the center of the target. The arrow just doesn’t automatically go in the direction of the target on its own.....it has to be aimed by one who is trained. You may have a bow with many arrows, but the important truth is you know how to aim the arrow so it will accomplish what it’s destined for. Let’s look at a portion of Scripture that speaks on the subject of arrows.
Psalms 127:3-5
3 Behold, children are a heritage from the Lord, The fruit of the womb is a reward.
4 Like arrows in the hand of a warrior, So are the children of one’s youth.
5 Happy is the man who has his quiver full of them; They shall not be ashamed,
But shall speak with their enemies in the gate.
At the beginning of our scripture, verse 3 tells us that children are a heritage and a blessing from the Lord. I believe we would all agree on this truth. Children are a great blessing from the Lord. The birth of a child is a miracle that can only be attributed to the work of our Creator. There are not words to explain a baby forming in a mother’s womb. The writer of Ecclesiastes spoke of this truth.
Ecclesiastes 11:5
As you do not know the path of the wind, or how the body is formed[a] in a mother’s womb, so you cannot understand the work of God, the Maker of all things.
Children are a blessing from God Almighty. There may be times children don’t act like a blessing 😂, but they are truly a heritage of the Lord.
In verse 4, the Bible refers to children as being arrows in the hand of a warrior. Verse 5 says happy are those parents who have a quiver full of arrows. A quiver is the container that holds the arrows. An arrow in the hand of a warrior will always accomplish its purpose. The warrior knows his purpose in regards to battle, is to learn how to aim the arrow. While children are a blessing of the Lord, we have a huge responsibility as parents holding these arrows.....that responsibility my friend, is learning to aim those arrows.
The Bible is clear in regards to what we are aiming at. Here’s a few scriptures that reveal the target 🎯:
Ephesians 6:4
4 Fathers,[c] do not provoke your children to anger by the way you treat them. Rather, bring them up with the discipline and instruction that comes from the Lord.
2 Timothy 1:5
5 I remember your genuine faith, for you share the faith that first filled your grandmother Lois and your mother, Eunice. And I know that same faith continues strong in you.
2 Timothy 3:14-16
14 But you must remain faithful to the things you have been taught. You know they are true, for you know you can trust those who taught you. 15 You have been taught the holy Scriptures from childhood, and they have given you the wisdom to receive the salvation that comes by trusting in Christ Jesus. 16 All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives. It corrects us when we are wrong and teaches us to do what is right.
The target is clear. We should be pointing our children in the direction of knowing Jesus Christ. We should aim them with the guidance and wisdom found in the instructions of the Lord. The last two scriptures we gave speak of the impact Timothy’s grandmother and mother had in his life. The last scripture reveals that he was taught the Word of God from a young age. The Word of God made him wise to the way of salvation. It convicts, corrects, and instructs. These scriptures reveal the power of the Word of God in the life of a child. Why would one forsake reading the Word with your children? I read a quote the other day that said, “if we don’t teach our children who God is, someone else will teach them everything He’s not.” Why would one forsake assembling in worship with your children where the Word of God can be heard? We reveal the lack of confidence we have in the Word of God, by not seeing the importance of our children being in worship.
We aim our kids toward every other target in life. We spend our efforts and energy aiming them in the direction of an education, sports, success, etc.....all those things are fine in their proper place. When all of our efforts are placed in the direction of those targets, with there being no time or effort at aiming our children toward Christ, we have our priorities out of line. More effort and energy should be placed in aiming them toward Christ than any other target as Christian parents. I know there are times our children may not want to attend worship, but don’t forget your planting seeds. There are times they don’t want to go to school, but we make them. If our kids can learn algebra and trigonometry, do you not think with the help of the Holy Spirit they can learn of Christ? There are times they don’t wanna practice sports in 100 degree weather, but we send them. There are times they don’t wanna run suicides in basketball, but we push them.
Our children are a blessing, and they’re in our hands. I know there’s times I’ve failed God, but I’m trying. I’m putting forth the time and energy the best I know how to teach and show them Christ in my life. I know I can’t save my children, but there’s one thing I can do.......I can aim them to the One who can.
✏️AD 🎯
