| | | | Bows and Arrows - Psalm 127:3-5 Today my oldest son heads back to Ft Lauderdale FL for a second year at Oceans Edge School of worship, and so today will be one of those days that I feel both sadness and excitement (I know, a weird combo). Of course I'll miss my son, as we have a pretty neat relationship in that we share a common love for music, worship, and Jesus, so there's that.
But my excitement for his future eclipses any sadness I may feel; I'm excited that he'll be in an atmosphere that is "all Jesus, all the time." I'm excited that he'll be challenged to grow in His service to the Lord. I'm excited that he'll be continuing his training as a musician and a lead worshiper. And I'm excited to release another world-changer into the world. To me that trumps everything.
One of my favorite verses in the bible is found in Psalm 127:
Children are a gift from the Lord; they are a reward from him. Children born to a young man are like arrows in a warrior's hands. How joyful is the man whose quiver is full of them! Psalm 127:3-5
This is a beautiful picture of an arrow, formed to be straight and true, balanced, sharp, and ready for flight. When a well-formed arrow is placed into the bow of an archer, it's sure to find it's mark.
The same holds true with our children, when we've taken the time to shape and mold them, sharpen their understanding and discernment of the things of God, given them the proper flight surfaces, and then release them into the world, they will find their mark.
If you've heard me preach, you know that I often speak of the fact that nothing we accumulate in this world will pass through into the next, only the people that we lead to Christ will go with us. We came into this world naked, and naked we'll leave (Job 1:21).
We can't take anything with us, but we can leave something behind, something more valuable than money or buildings with our name on the facade:
As parents we have an opportunity to leave a legacy of godliness through the lives of the children we train up in the Lord, and release them to change impact the world for Christ.
"Lord, I pray you would inhabit the lives of my children, and that you would do great and mighty works through their lives. Let me be a bow that releases powerful arrows that find their mark."
Pastor Clay | | | | | | | |
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