Isaiah 49:1-2

Imagine that you are an arrow in God's quiver. If you were to try to do God's work for Him, it wouldn't go well. An arrow can't do any good if it tries to wiggle away from the archer and do the work on its own. Even if an arrow could jump out of the quiver, somehow hop up to a target and hit it, it would just bounce harmlessly off.

Now imagine an arrow in the hands of a skillful archer. The arrow needs to do nothing but remain in just the form that the archer made it. It is the archer who sharpens the arrow and the archer who hides it away in the quiver. It is the archer who takes the arrow out of the quiver and the archer who puts it on the string.  It is the archer who uses his strength to pull the arrow back, and the archer who aims. Finally, it is the archer who decides when to release the arrow. Only then will the arrow hit the target and stick. The arrow needs the strength of the archer to accomplish its purpose. If I were to ask you who did the work, the archer or the arrow, what would you say? If I tried to tell you that it was the arrow that did the work, the archer or the arrow, what would you say? If I tried to tell you that it was the arrow that did the work, you'd call me crazy. The archer is in control at every point, from sharpening the arrow to sticking it into the target.

How isit that we are to be servants of God? How can the arrow best be the servant of the archer? The way for us to be the best servant of God is to realize that He doesn't need us to do His work at all. He chooses to use us. A true servant is used by the master, the same way an arrow is used by the archer, to accomplish his purposes. Thankfully for the arrow, it is the archer who does all the work. And Thankfully for us, it is God who is in control.

-- 

Helping people live life with Jesus everyday,