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Arrows in the Hand of the Almighty
by Femi Onabanjo "As arrows are in the hand of a mighty man; so are children of the youth" (Ps. 127:4) Children are a blessing to their parents, a source of joy, laughter and hope. They can also be a source of deep pain, embarrassment and regret (Prov. 17:25). As arrows are in the hand of a mighty man, shaped for a purpose, aimed in a direction and expected to cooperate with him to achieve same, so are children in the hands of their parents (and especially fathers). But, dear reader, have you considered that you are not only an arrow in the hand of a mighty man (your father) but an arrow in the Hand of the Almighty, who is your heavenly Father? We all are God's creation, but our lives take on new meaning, a special status, when we come into a Father-child relationship with Him. It is a new beginning, a new birth, and then the scripture above takes on new significance for us. So, you are an arrow. An arrow is designed for a purpose. Carefully crafted, and not created by chance. Men may create children by chance but God does not. Jer. 1:5 tells us this much "Before I made you in your mother's womb, I knew you. Before you were born, I chose you for a special work. I chose you to be a prophet to the nations". You are not just an arrow but an arrow with a mandate, a man or woman on a mission. You have a pre-assigned target. Like your genetic code is embedded in your DNA, so is your spirit already programmed with this information; it is called your 'purpose'. It is noteworthy that an arrow does not have two targets. It is made for a specific target. God's purpose for our lives is always very specific and clear-cut. You know without doubt when you discover it. It is unique and has your name written all over it. It is not a replica or a prototype. It is one of a kind. Have you found your own purpose (or are you still trying to copy someone else's)? What is that special work that you have been created for (Eph. 2:10)? You must find out. But of what use is an arrow that knows its target and chooses to head elsewhere? An arrow that 'reprograms' itself and will not do the bidding of the archer. A practical impossibility, you may say. Even if it were to be possible, the arrow would either break itself or be broken by the archer. That is just the point. Do we not break ourselves by resisting God's will for our lives? When we think we know better than our Maker and decide to do things our own way, in our own strength or for our own glory? Do we not struggle with the Archer as He points us toward our target, squirming to get out of the bow the very object that would propel us to our destination? We wear ourselves out and deform our lives (possibly other lives, too), we damage the bow (the beautiful opportunities, privileges, circumstances designed for our good), hurt the Archer and delay or even abort the entire process. There is no benefit in not yielding; only loss and regret. The only thing more costly than obedience is disobedience. Friend, discover your purpose then throw yourself into it with abandon. Step into it with total surrender to His Will wherever it may lead you and whatever it may cost you. God is an astute businessman. He deals only for profit. If you give Him your full cooperation, He will ensure that you have no regrets. Not 'no pain', because where there's no pain, there's no gain. You must carry a cross before you wear a crown. Not 'no loss', because "He who loses his life for My sake shall find it". But 'no regrets', because "Everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or children or fields for my sake, will receive a hundred times more and will be given eternal life" (Matt. 19:29). Do you know what target you were made for? Have you discovered it but are unwilling to pay the price? Or you do not even agree that it is a possible target? Perhaps you are looking at the wrong things. Do not consider your weakness, lack of education, poor health, spent years, or even your youth. Neither consider your wisdom, skill, strength or ability. One may make you discouraged and the other self-confident. Paul's advice is: "Let us keep our eyes fixed on Jesus, on whom our faith depends from beginning to end" (Heb. 12:2). As you learn to yield to your Father's Hand, you will find Him shaping you to perfection, removing everything that will hinder your flight. You will find yourself more narrowed to the tip, streamlined to remove excesses and rough edges, sharpened in Grace and ability, primed for performance and positioned for success. Success, you must realize now, is no longer defined by you a function of your passions, desires or ambition. It derives from fulfilment of your divine purpose. This is the pride of every arrow, the joy of the Archer and the glory of submission to the Divine Will. It cannot happen outside of the Master's design and it will not happen without your total surrender. Be that arrow that knows its mission. The arrow that meets its mark. Be that arrow in the Hand of the Almighty. Prayer: Lord, help me to surrender to Your purpose and plan for my life. I realize that my life is not my own and that I have a destiny to fulfil. I give you my full cooperation in all that You desire to do in and through me. Have Your way. Amen Femi is a Christian who desires to be fruitful for God. He wants to contribute to the growth of the Kingdom and to this end, it is his joy to freely share whatever the Lord lays on his heart for the benefit of others. Article Source: http://www.faithwriters.com |