It is vain for you to rise up early,
To lie down late,
To eat the bread of toil;
For He gives to His beloved even in his sleep.
Behold, children are a gift of Jehovah,
The fruit of the womb is a reward.
Like arrows in the hand of a mighty man,
So are the children of one’s youth.
How blessed is the man whose quiver is full of them;
They will not be ashamed
When they speak with their enemies in the gate.
— Psalm 127:2-5
In the church life we are not short of desire or consecration towards the Lord. We are short of what this psalm describes as transformation. We are short of “arrows.” How many of us can say, “I am a mighty man with arrows”? How many of us can genuinely say, “I know how to preach the gospel. I know how to share with people in a way that conveys the riches of Christ. I know how to pray effectively. I know how to minister the word. I know how to help people into their spirit. I know how to operate for the building of the church!”
All of these items are like arrows. So many of us are filled with desire, but we build, we watch, and we labor all in vain. Therefore we need to learn to be transformed. We need to submit ourselves to the Lord’s governmental hand and let the Lord transform us. This transformation will cause arrows to be brought forth. We will become a mighty man who is equipped and prepared. Then we will know how to effectively serve the Lord.
Adapted from The Journey of Life, pages 71-72.
Tomorrow: “The Church’s Need for ‘Mighty Men'”