Thought of the Day: Children are our Arrows
The birth of a child is still the greatest miracle I have ever seen. Standing in the sterile white environment of a hospital maternity ward with the smell of disinfectant strong on my hands like a strange new cologne, they just handed me my link into the future, the ambassador to the next generation. Blinking, winking, squirming little slice of love, wrapped in a blanket and forever fastened to my heart—we had just had a baby! To me a piece of Heaven had been pushed through the womb of our consummated love. Children are living epistles that should stand as evidence to the future that the past made some level of contribution.
The psalmist David wrote a brief note that is as loud as an atomic bomb. It speaks to the heart of men about their attitude toward their offspring. This was David, the man whose indiscretion with Bathsheba had produced a love child. Though inappropriately conceived, the baby was loved nonetheless. David is the man who lay upon the ground in sackcloth and ashes praying feverishly for mercy as his child squirmed in the icy hands of death. Somewhere in a tent the cold silence slowly grew. The squirming stopped, the crying stilled; the baby has gone into eternal rest. If anybody knows the value of children, it is those who just left theirs in the ground. “As arrows are in the hand of a mighty man; so are children of the youth,” says King David whose arrow lay lowered in the ground.
Why did he compare children to arrows? Maybe it was for their potential to be propelled into the future. Perhaps it was for the intrinsic gold mine that lies in the heart of every child who is shot through the womb. Maybe he was trying to tell us that children go where we, their parents, aim them. Could it be that we, as parents, must be responsible enough to place them in the kind of bow that will accelerate their success and emotional well-being? How happy I am to have a quiver full of arrows!
Day 140 from Hope for Every Moment: 365 Days to Healing, Blessings, and Freedom Devotional and Journal
Thank you Bishop Jakes, I Thank you for placeing the word of God in my life. No one but God put me on your path as you are on mine.When i was a child i was an arrow but didn’t know it.I had to go through alot as a child, but i was a arrow. Thank you so much Bishop God Bless you
Papa, thanks a million! This is so inspiring for a bachelor like me.
True talk my Lord Bishop! God bless you.
My children are the apple of my eye.
The hardest hit that I took from the Enemy was the divorce that separated my 24hrs/7days parental supervision of my children. It crushed my heart and deaden my spirit. I felt as if I died over a thousand x’s.
It took God to sustain me through it all.
Because of my children, I kept my head above life’s perilous waters. Long enough, until God gave me bouyancy to bounce back with power and a zest to live!!
I knew if I gave up on life, my children, the seed of my loins probably would have no person to guard and guide them into their Christ’s destiny.
Everyday, I took the Enemy attack against me and my children, personal. Praying to God to give me another chance to gain financial power, enabling me to father my children into their wealthyplace.
Now, I see God granting my request to father my children onto their road of success.
I give God all the glory.
Keep going strong Bishop
Bishop,
I just read your “Thought of the day”-Children are our arrows.
Very Beautiful. Just like you.
Tina
Thank you so much for your posting this. We appreciate you.
Quote by me Terrance McCreary SR: “If there was no one to aim, and shoot the arrow toward the mark, how would the arrow reach its potential?”
Here is a question I would like answered, why do adults act like they were not young before, messed up before, and disappointed those who they love. And give the impression that they came out of the womb perfect, and saved. However, here are my thoughts about your topic of arrows:
Children are the most important part to the plan of God. And the most important part of what was, what is, and what is to come. And it is our responsibility to inspire, to motivate, to engage, to instructed, and to protect our children from all harm and danger. Whether it is spiritual or natural. However, we must do this according to the Word of God and not according to our human element. I will always be an advocate to protect all children. I will always fight for those who can not fight for themselves. For our Children are the next leaders, preachers, teachers, mothers, fathers, husbands, and wives. When we are dead and gone to glory, to be with Jesus Christ, our children will be here lifting up the name the name of Jesus. They will be those who would be the next soldiers, fighting the good fight of faith in the army of the Lord (Jesus Christ).
Thank you for another thought provoking topic.
Peace Bishop
love,love that story bishop. It was so heart warming to read your story about arrows. Arrows are a beautiful thing, they make you happy, they make you sad, they make you worry. But all in all a parents love for their child is infinity. Though my arrows are in heaven waiting to be born, I still know what it is like to love a child. Because you know why? Jesus first loved me! LOve you so,so,so,so,so, much papa and mama jakes. By the the way I loved the wtal conference totally awsome!
Hi Bishop — I believe your sermon “Hagar’s Baby” is the most powerful I’ve ever heard on any topic. This sermon changed my life.
I was once a wealthy woman, a member of both Aaron’s Army and the Bishop’s Circle. I am no longer weathly, but I am blessed. I am now a CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocate) for children going through the Foster Care system. It this position I come across so many “Hagar’s Baby’s”….you, Bishop have taught me to think, plan, react and respond “generationally.”
As the wealthy woman, I purchased numerous copies of the Hagar’s Baby DVD. I kept them in my car. I would come across a you girl crying outside a convenience store and give a copy to her. I befriended a young boy who both parents had died…I gave a copy to him. I was blessed each time the Lord presented me with someone who needed to hear his message.
Regretfully, I am no longer the weathly woman and have given away, with the exception of my own copy, all Hagar’s Baby DVD.
Bishop (although I call you Jakes, cuz’ I think you and I are just that tight) I ask you today to send to me all the Hagar’s Baby DVD’s you can get your hands on. You see, I’m working here in rural WV and there is great need. Children need their mothers and fathers and they each need to hear your sermon of Hagar’s Baby.
If you will not donate them to CASA, then please offer them at a lower cost so that I might share the word of God through you with these lost and huring young people and children.
My address is 2 Platinum Dr., Barboursville, WV 25504…my cell number is 304-654-6912
I just received my first CASA case…two boys, ages 3 and 8…the mother was killed by the 3yr olds dad….the 8 year olds dad is in prison on drug related charges….These two kids need to know the story of Hagar and Ishmael….they need to know that when death seemed upon them that God heard the cry of the child. With so much taken from them, they have to know that they still have a voice and can always Cry Out To Jesus!
Please pray for me as I attempt to help these two children and many others like them. And, above all else, Thanks Jakes….you pulled me up out of a hotel room in the Florida Keys in 2003 and I’ve been partnering with you since. My needs were great that day and God gave me you! Praise God!! Bless you Jakes and the entire Potter’s House Family.
“Our Children are our Arrows..” He came like a thief in the night as an assasin-so he thought. I had fell asleep in my prayer closet. My eyes swollen shut from crying. BUT GOD woke me up just in the nick of time to catch the asassin red handed. Red handed because he is covered in the blood…
These arrows that we are speaking of…could they represent a weapon to our vunerability? Satan has unsuccessfully tried every other means to steal, kill, and destroy, but we are still standing by the Grace of God. Bishop right now the devil has stooped to an all time low and it has recently been reveled though prayer that satan is trying to claim my son to homosexuality.
As a teenage parents, my husband and I have given our blood, sweat, and tears to nuture and provide for our son. He is our heir, our arrow, our hope for tomorrow, our precious. Now here is what we know. Nothing happens without God’s permission. This arrow in our side is not meant to kill us, but it has been allowed to penetrate in just the right place that it was able to strike a nerve. .
We are in spiritual warfare. This a knock down, drag out fight for our son’s soul.
Our priorities became mixed up, and we became “too busy.” This WAS our struggle, a trick of the enemy. But no more. God has our attention, but we realize It shouldn’t take all of this.
We will fight with our arrow in our side and when satan is once again defeated, that same arrow will turn on the same intruder who tried to steal him in the night. That arrow, our son, will be used for God’s glory. HALELUJAH!HALELUJAH!!HALELUJAH!!!HALELUJAH!!!!HALELUJAH!!!!!HALLELUJAH!!!!!!HALLELUJAH!!!!!!!HALELUJAH!!!!!!!!AMEN.