In the Archer’s Hand (a study on parenting from Psalm 127:5)

1 Except Jehovah build the house,2 It is vain for you to rise up early,

As parents it is important that we put God first in our lives.  He is the archer, and we are the bow.  Without his hand on our life all of our efforts are for nothing.

3 Lo, children are a heritage of Jehovah

Our children are an inheritance from God.  They are a blessing, but along with an inheritance comes responsibility.  As parents our main responsibilities are threefold:

1,  Teach: Deut 6:4 Hear, O Israel: Jehovah our God is one Jehovah:5 and thou shalt love Jehovah thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might.6 And these words, which I command thee this day, shall be upon thy heart;7 and thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children, and shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thy house, and when thou walkest by the way and when thou liest down, and when thou risest up.

This is not a systematic kind of plan that comes from a static curriculum.  It is an everyday, on the go, kind of teaching.  It happens best during what I call teachable moments.  And it can only happen when we ourselves are so saturated with God that He just spills out.

2.  Train: Prov 22:6 Train a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not turn from it.

Training is being an example and role model to our children.  It is showing them how to do something by doing it.  We need to model Godly behavior and practices, such as regular church attendance, giving, serving, and evangelizing.  The statistics below show how powerful this can be.

Kids Who Become Active Christ-followers as Adults:

• • If mom and dad went to church: 72% of kids will as adults
  • If dad only went to church: 55% of kids will as adults.
  • If mom only went to church: 15% of kids will as adults.
  • If neither mom nor dad: 6% of kids will as adults.

3.  Equip: EPH 6:12.For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.

We have an enemy that is bent on destroying our children.  We must prepare them to face the battle by making sure they are equipped with the full ARMOR OF GOD (Eph 6: 10-17):

·   Helmet of Salvation – Leading our children to Christ is our first priority but it is only the beginning.  In battle the helmet was the primary piece of identification.  It marked who you were fighting for, and symbolized your devotion and loyalty to your King.  Teach your child to wear it proudly, and to understand that we are nothing without Him.

·   Breastplate of Righteousness – Our emotions often cloud our thinking, and lead us to make bad decisions.  We must teach our children to guard their hearts, and make good and wise decisions.  It’s their choices that will determine what path they follow.

·   Belt of Truth – Satan is the father of lies, in fact it is his native language.  He is always tempting our children to enjoy the pleasures of sin, but never reveals the consequences.  We must be diligent about teaching our children the consequences of sin.  Truth is what sets us free, and will keep our children from bondage.

·   Shoes of the Gospel – All dressed up and nowhere to go.  Why put on an armor if you’re not going to battle.  We need to teach our children to be doers, not just hearers.  Take them with you as you go out to battle,

·   Shield of Faith – And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him. Satan knows that God exists, but he is always trying to get our children to doubt His goodness.  Teach your children to be thankful for the good times, and to persevere during the bad.  We are on the right side, and though we may lose a battle, we will win the war.

·   Sword of the Spirit – This is our only offensive weapon, and the only way to inflict damage on the enemy.  We must teach our children not only to know the Word of God, but how to rightly divide it.  They must know how to use the Sword.

4 As arrows in the hand of a mighty man,5 Happy is the man that hath his quiver full of them:

Arrows are especially designed to work best with specific bows.  God matches each child to the parents.  You and your child(ren) are a perfect fit.  God doesn’t make mistakes.  Let’s look at all the various parts of the bow and arrows for some deeper insight into parenting,

PARTS OF THE BOW

• Grip – This is where the Archer’s hand goes.  God must have His hand on our lives if we want to be effective.
• Sight Window – God gives parents specific insights into their children that others couldn’t possibly know.  It doesn’t pinpoint the target exactly but definitely narrows the field to help us better prepare them for the path that God has in mind.
• Arrow Rest – This is where the arrow lays on the front of the bow to help keep it straight until the archer is ready to shoot.  God wants us to cast our burdens on Him.  Life is tough, but it doesn’t have to overwhelming or crushing.  We need to provide a comfort zone, or a resting place for our children.  Sometimes as parents we need to take the blows.
• Serving – This is a thickened part of the string that defines the range of where the arrow could be placed and still be effective.  To me this represents the fact that God knows that we are not perfect.  He gives us a little leeway, a little breathing room.  We are bound to make some mistakes, but if we confess and make amends than we will be able to get things back on track.
• Nocking Point – This is a small piece that attaches to the serving and serves to prevent the arrow from sliding down the string as the Archer aims.  It can be moved up and down by the Archer on the serving to pinpoint the exact target.  String – The string is what the Archer uses to bend the bow.  As parents we all have to stretch and bend in the Master’s hand.  It’s not an easy job.  Some of us have to stretch further than others, but a bigger stretch means a farther reach for the arrow.

PARTS OF THE ARROW

• Nock – This is the slit in the back of the arrow that allows the arrow to attach to the string of the bow.  Children are designed to fit us.  They are not blank pages, for they are fearfully and wonderfully made.  But they are designed to bond, and learn, and trust their parents.  This puts a big responsibility on the parents.  We definitely have a big influence and effect on the direction their lives will take.
• Fletching – This is the feathers that provide balance & stability when the arrow flies.  Children need both of these in order to develop properly, and to someday hit their mark.
• Crest – This is the mark on the arrow, that identified the owner.  There are three types of crest that our children may have:

1.  Humanity: We are all part of the human race, and were created in the image of God, with intelligence, creativity, and the ability to choose.  This is what sets us apart from the animals.  But it also carries the mark of sin that comes from disobedience to God and is also part of our nature.

2.  Family: The genetic makeup of our family is passed on to our children.  They may have the eyes of their grandpa, or the temper of their Mom.  We leave a mark on our kids, and God uses our gene pool as part of his recipe for them.

3.  Children of God: Through surrender and repentance made possible by Jesus dying on the cross to pay for our sins, our children become part of the family of God.  This covers, but does not erase the sin nature.  That will happen when one day we meet Him face to face.

• Arrowhead – This is the custom part of the arrow that is designed according to its purpose.  God chooses this, but we have a part in shaping and sharpening it.

• Shaft – This the main part of the arrow.  Believe it or not an arrow bends as it leaves the bow.  Facing the world is not an easy task for any of our children, but it is something they must do.  The shaft is flexible and meant to take the force of shooting without breaking.  Some are designed to take even more force, but will have a farther reach.  We need to allow God to send them on the path He has chosen for them.

I would like to close this study with the last stanza of the poem On Children, by Kahlil Gibran:

You are the bows from which your children

as living arrows are sent forth.

The archer sees the mark upon the path of the infinite,

and He bends you with His might

that His arrows may go swift and far.

Let your bending in the archer’s hand be for gladness;

For even as He loves the arrow that flies,

so He loves also the bow that is stable.