Mother’s Day
Guiding Arrows Sermon Series (family)
by Carol Hardee
Introduction
Good morning!! This is that wonderful day set aside for us to thank God for and celebrate the good thoughts and memories of those wonderful ladies He has put in our lives. You may be like me that when you think of Mother’s Day I think of many women in my life that have made an impact such as my birth mom, Mildred, my grandmothers, Ms. Walker, who had no children, who opened her home to me as a teenager when I needed a place to go, Miss Fannie, my youth group teacher, Bonnie, a prayer warrior, Sonja, my mentor, and so many more that have played a great big part in my life.
Today begins our family series which starts today and goes to Father’s Day. I bet you have no trouble guessing what the theme is about.
When Pastor told me told me the theme was:” Guiding Arrows” I had to do some research. I do not hunt, however in helping with boy’s camp, I have seen and touched bows and arrows. Our children have played with a small children’s toy. From seeing a bow shot on TV, I can see the power in it. But understanding how it works is a whole different thing.
We have a target, a bow, and an arrow. There are several things to consider in the arrow to the target – the bow, the string, the target, the surroundings, the arrow. In thinking just about the arrow, there are components to consider – the point, the nock, the shaft, and the fletching.
Ok I’m not the one to be giving lessons on bows and arrows. However, let’s look at our scripture text for our theme “Guiding Arrows”
Psa 127:1 A song for the ascent to Jerusalem. A psalm of Solomon. Unless the LORD builds a house, the work of the builders is useless. Unless the LORD protects a city, guarding it with sentries will do no good. 2 It is useless for you to work so hard from early morning until late at night, anxiously working for food to eat; for God gives rest to his loved ones. 3 Children are a gift from the LORD; they are a reward from him. 4 Children born to a young man are like sharp arrows in a warrior's hands. 5 How happy is the man whose quiver is full of them! He will not be put to shame when he confronts his accusers at the city gates.
What does say in verse 3? Children are a gift from God. No matter whose children they are – Children are a gift and are like sharp arrows, and these arrows need to be guided. What makes an arrow an arrow? The fletching.
Children or those under us need fletching. Fletching is the feathers or vanes that is on an arrow. Rather than helping your arrow to fly faster, the feathers slow down the flight of the arrow. If you shoot your arrow and it is flying straight, then they cause minor drag or slowdown; however, an arrow that isn’t flying straight will experience a lot of drag from the fletching. As an arrow turns in flight, and the fletching offers resistance. This resistance is in the opposite direction of the turn, so it works to keep the arrow on target.
As you can see, the fletching consists of 3 pieces. Let’s take note of some things to keep our arrows on target.
1. (Love –) Our arrows need love. Do you realize that our love is the first love that a child will experience and feel? Josiah, newborn babies
Even for someone that does not have a relationship with the Lord, our love is the first love that they experience.
A. Loving our children does not mean: Giving them everything they want; Making sure that they keep up with the world; Make their own religious decisions.
B. Loving children requires:
*Discipline. Proverbs 23:13-14 "Do not withhold discipline from a child; if you punish him with the rod, he will not die. Punish him with the rod and save his soul from death." Discipline is a sign of love.
*Instilling the Christian world view
*Teaching them to love Jesus Christ.
*Caring for their spiritual, emotional, and physical needs. Psalm 127:3-5. 2 Timothy 1:5 "I am reminded of your sincere faith, a faith that dwelt first in your grandmother Lois and your mother Eunice and now, I am sure, dwells in you as well."
Also, they need to be taught that God loves them unconditionally.
Rom 5:8 But God showed his great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners.
2. (God) In talking about God’s love, brings me to my 2nd piece of fletching, God.
Accept who you are, your identity in God – God made you who you are.
Maybe different - trying with tests,
We teach our Children to:
See God in everything – not luck
Be dependent on God – trust
Follow God’s calling – homeschooling, pastoring
Make God part of your everyday life –
3. Values
Learn to love God and all His ways
10 Commandments
Beatitudes
if we have not so trained them to thus serve the home, then they will turn and
Listen to Deuteronomy 6
Deu 6:1 "These are all the commands, laws, and regulations that the LORD your God told me to teach you so you may obey them in the land you are about to enter and occupy, 2 and so you and your children and grandchildren might fear the LORD your God as long as you live. If you obey all his laws and commands, you will enjoy a long life. 3 Listen closely, Israel, to everything I say. Be careful to obey. Then all will go well with you, and you will have many children in the land flowing with milk and honey, just as the LORD, the God of your ancestors, promised you.
Deu 6:4 "Hear, O Israel! The LORD is our God, the LORD alone. 5 And you must love the LORD your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your strength. 6 And you must commit yourselves wholeheartedly to these commands I am giving you today. 7 Repeat them again and again to your children. Talk about them when you are at home and when you are away on a journey, when you are lying down and when you are getting up again.
Deu 6:8 Tie them to your hands as a reminder, and wear them on your forehead. 9 Write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates. 10 "The LORD your God will soon bring you into the land he swore to give your ancestors Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. It is a land filled with large, prosperous cities that you did not build.
AND TO BE WELL AIMED. What is our aim for our children? The arrows will go where they are sent. How many parents there are who have no worthy aim for their children! They will be glad for them to "get on," to become rich, and to take good positions in society. If they have aim, it is no higher one than that. And those who profess the higher aim, that their children should be the Lord's, how badly, clumsily, carelessly, they seek that aim!
As the air resistance pushes on the arrow, it will want to veer. However, the fletching creates a push in the opposite direction. This basically means that the fletching on the arrow pushes back against the wind, allowing the arrow to fly straight.
The world may veer.
Ephesians 6:16 above all, taking the shield of faith with which you will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one.
Fletching is very important to the arrow bc- not just bc of the wind. It also has the wobbliness from the bow.
When an arrow is shot from the bow there is a wobbliness that is transferred from the bow to the arrow, so the arrow has to have fletching on it to bring accuracy to the arrow.
As I think of motherhood or having influence in someone’s life, I see us as the bow. We are powerful but we are wobbly. We don’t get it all right, but our aim is the Lord. Some of imperfections are transferred to our children or those under us, but if we point them right they will hit the target.
How to Be a Disciple of Christ
Accept Christ forgiveness
Believe He died and rose again
Confess your sins
