40Archers, Straight Arrows and the Shield of Faith
Good Morning Friends,
There are several different kinds of archers. There are the ones that kill dragons. God, man and Satan are all archers. Then there is Cupid. We can learn spiritual truths considering the role of God the Great Archer and the purpose of hitting life’s mark. Shakespeare’s Hamlet questioned the purpose of a life that suffers the slings and arrows of outrageous fortune. So today with some degree of seriousness we contemplate that pain of ancestral arrows that has not gone away. We devote our attention to a painting by Rubens of Saint Sebastian and Bible’s
40Archers, Straight Arrows and the Shield of Faith.
Scripture: The sons of Ulam were mighty warriors, archers, having many children and grandchildren, one hundred and fifty. All these were Benjaminites.
1 Chronicles 8:40 (NRSV)
18Come, lift up the boy and hold him fast with your hand, for I will make a great nation of him (Ishmael).’ 19Then God opened her eyes (Hagar), and she saw a well of water. She went, and filled the skin with water, and gave the boy a drink. 20God was with the boy, and he grew up; he lived in the wilderness, and became an expert with the bow.
Genesis 21:18-20 (NRSV)
9The human mind plans the way, but the Lord directs the steps.
Proverbs 16:9 (NRSV)
13Therefore take up the whole armour of God, so that you may be able to withstand on that evil day, and having done everything, to stand firm. 14Stand therefore, and fasten the belt of truth around your waist, and put on the breastplate of righteousness. 15As shoes for your feet put on whatever will make you ready to proclaim the gospel of peace. 16With all of these,* take the shield of faith, with which you will be able to quench all the flaming arrows of the evil one. 17Take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.
Ephesians 6:13-17 (NRSV)
Message: Let’s get this right from the beginning, the arrow exists for the archer, the archer doesn’t exist for the arrow. We exist friends to fulfill God’s desires. God does not exist to fulfill ours. A lot of people think God exists to serve them and make them happy. Sure God wants the best for us but asking and getting is not the sum of the relationship. You see we have a purpose to fulfill and we might just find life is pretty enjoyable when we notched in its power. Once we understand that it is the archer who chooses the arrow it becomes clearer. We are the arrow, and if we choose God as the archer life can be wonderful. But as long as we tell Him where we are supposed to be shot, at which target He should be aiming at, or what kind of arrow we should be, we will never be truly happy. More likely is that we will be miserable as if pierced by a thousand flaming darts of our own design. Friends, we have our part but our purpose is decided by Him, not by us. So do not be discouraged. Refocus on fulfilling the mission God has designed. Who you think you are may not be what God had in mind at all. Commit to fulfilling God’s purpose in your life to glorify the one who has made you. Choosing that kind of influence can keep us all on target. Realize that it is worth the fight only if one is fighting on the side of God.
Pray we be an arrow whose form and path is straight. Pray our bow not break. Pray
we not miss God’s target of the heart. Pray we quit fighting God and surrender to a heavenly purpose and plan for life. Pray we realize we were made for a mission. Pray we appreciate that not all arrows are the same. Pray we realize that who we think we are and what was done to us and what the “I” in us did to others was ever of much consequence unless it is guided by God. Pray as our bow is drawn we realize that life goes by so swiftly that we cannot follow is flight. Pray our arrow spring in a world of dark and its brief light not miss the mark.
Blessings,
John Lawson
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Daily Devotionals 