ARROWS SHOT INTO THE FUTURE

“Lo, children are the heritage of the Lord: and the fruit of the womb is his reward”
(Ps127:3).

In this part of the world, once a couple gets married, (almost) everyone around prays that
in nine months time they shall have their first child or children as the case may be. Most
times the opinion of the couple is not sought to know if they wished to wait a while
before child bearing. They just impose their will (prayer) on them.

Since the family and friends will was imposed on the wedding day, by nine months if
nothing happens, and the couple concerned are not strong willed, it becomes a source of
worry. But this should not be because if they were not expecting a child, they should
maintain their cool. Moreover, there are factors for the seeming delay. These factors may
be physical, emotional and/or spiritual. Now, I do not mean negative spiritual, though this
might be, but negative spiritual should be the last cause of delay rather than the
immediate.

The word from our base scripture says, children are the heritage of the Lord…. The word
‘heritage’ means possession, inheritance, portion and patrimony. Meaning, they are His
prerogative. And in case you don’t understand the first statement, the second part of the
scripture says, the fruit of the womb is God’s reward. Fruit, indicates an end of a seed
sown in the ground (sperm and ovum), showing God’s freedom of election without
human will. That’s why the beginning of Ps127 says, except the Lord builds…. Also, for
the fruit of the womb, except the Lord rewards, the child cannot be however fertile you
think you are. Most times we waste our time on what we cannot change, if there’s
anything at all, just make sure your seed and ground are okay. Even at that, since it is
God who rewards, if all physical, emotional and spiritual factors point to your not
having a baby, He can over ride them just to show the Excellency of His power. Our
God is still a miracle worker. Notice, He said there shall be none barren in His land. The
only reason you will be without a child forever is if you don’t belong to His land or you
choose not to have one. Ask Sarah, Hannah, Elisabeth and Anna, they will lecture you.

What I am saying is that, it is only God that has the final say as to when the baby will
come and from His point of view, there is nothing like delay, rather fulfillment of
purpose. And since the final authority says childlessness is not an option for those
who desire them, you might as well agree with Him and call yourself joyful parent of
children now!

One salient point we miss out on most of the time is the fact that every blessing
comes with responsibility attached, and also, nothing is created for nothing. I have
never seen an inventor wasting all his life inventing what will not be useful for mankind.
Likewise, I have never seen anybody being promoted without extra responsibility. Most
times, when we think of promotion, all that’s in our minds are the fringe benefits that
come with the new office. While this is true, we must be aware that the promotion is the
reward of your responsibility worthy of greater responsibility (check the parable of the
Talents in Mt25:`4-29)

This fact also applies to the blessings we get from God. If you ask God to bless you with
a car, remember that you have to service, maintain and fuel the car. If you desire a more
luxurious car, be ready to spend more on maintenance. This is the principle of God from
the beginning; even with man (Adam and Eve) in the Garden of Eden. (Gen2:15) He still
demanded that they dress and keep the garden. Man was created to be responsible.
CHIKENAH!

Also, with children, God is not against your having twenty if you so desire, but it will be
a mark of irresponsibility if you are not able and willing to care for them (i.e. provide for
their physical, emotional and spiritual needs). That you bore a child out of wedlock,
under aged, for another man’s husband or the child came before you were ready for it or
when you had put a stop to child bearing-but by miscalculation you got pregnant- does
not mean it’s a mistake in the sight of God. You might have made a mistake, but God did
not. He had a purpose for that child, that’s why He rewarded you with it. So, never you
wonder why the ‘undeserving’ gets pregnant, you only see a little picture but God
knows why! It’s according to His plans and purposes.

Now, I know that most families strive to provide for the physical needs of their wards,
while some provide for their emotional needs but only a few provides for their spiritual
needs. Most parents believe that once they have provided for the physical need of their
ward, it proves their love, but that’s a fallacy. If for example you work with an
establishment that gives beautiful remuneration to their staffs but provides you with little
or no room for your family and your God, would you say they love you? (Your answer
will determine your level of sanity). So, more than meeting the physical need of your
wards, they need your emotional support also. Why do you think breast feeding is
preferable to feeding bottles? Aside from the nutritional benefits of breast milk, breast
feeding breeds emotional ties between mother and child. If so, then why after weaning
the child should parent stop the emotional ties? This is important to creating emotional
balance in our children. Some children never heard their parent say they love them,
so they follow the next lying idiot that proclaim love (or is it lust) to them. There’s
nothing wrong with being emotional in the presence of our children (especially men). It
does not make you a weakling, rather it makes you human.

The last of the need is the most important and the least attended to. Notice, the bible says
children are God’s property (heritage), everything that involves them is His concern. Let
me blow your mind a bit: Nobody can give you a child except God, don’t be deceived
that one deity or god gave you a child. If the Lord does not approve, no child can be
born however foolproof they told you the deity might be. Don’t waste your money, time
and energy depending on something or someone that cannot make anything happen,
your having a child is independent of any other sources but God.

Now, if they are God’s heritage, it is of paramount importance that they be brought up in
the ways of the Lord.-Since God is a Spirit, their spiritual need is most important. When
the bible say we should train up our children in the way they should go (Prov22:6); God
was not talking just about moral values alone, He meant we should train them in His
ways. “Therefore shall ye lay up these my words in your heart, and in your soul, and
bind them for a sign upon your hand…and ye shall teach them your children, speaking
of them when thou sittest…walkest…liest down....riseth up.” (Deut11:18,19) That’s the
way to train your children in the way they should go and they won’t depart from it. The
big question is, ‘have you laid His words in your heart? For according to the scripture
above, it is until the words are laid in your heart, soul and before you, you cannot teach
them your children.

That means the phrase-train up your child- puts big responsibility on you as a parent or
intending one. For to be called a successful parent you must have of necessity
brought yourself up to a level that, you can and have imparted your children for
God. The responsibility of training your children does not rest with teachers in schools
and churches; neither does it rest on your maids and siblings nor even the government,
but primarily upon you, the parent. Nobody can best impart your child as you-you own
the responsibility. It is for this reason also that we were enjoined not to marry an
unbeliever, so…we might seek godly seed…Mal2:15 That is, children born into a house
where the word of God is the foundation.

The crux of this is to the intent that our children will be instrument in the hand of our
God to change the world. It is my believe that through our raising godly seed, the
kingdom of darkness shall be depopulated speedily because we will have more
children that the devil cannot deceive easily. Children are the weapon the Lord will use
to evangelize the world. They are the arrows to be shot into the future to turn it around.

Even as we celebrate children’s day this month, you should ask yourself, are you
adequately providing for your children physically, emotionally and spiritually? Are they
godly seeds? Are you raising an arrow of God to be shot into the future? Are you training
up your children in the way of the Lord? Will the Master say well done if He comes to
you now? The recruitment for both kingdoms (light and darkness) starts with the
children, so what kingdom is your child being trained for? It is not too late; you can start
training them the right way right NOW! HAPPY CHILDREN’S DAY to you and may our
children be those arrows to be shot into the future and may HE SAY WELL DONE TO
US PARENT IN THE LAST DAY amen.