The devotion for this month’s Beacon article is aimed at grabbing the attention of parents with children still living in the home, but everyone can read this, remember, and pray for the children of our church.

“Like arrows in the hand of a warrior, so are the children of one’s youth. Happy is the man who has his quiver full of them; they shall not be ashamed, but shall speak with their enemies in the gate.” (Psalm 127:4-5)

Why are children described as “arrows” in this song from Solomon? The way I understand this metaphor is that parents have a short period of time to get these arrows inserted properly into the slot of the bowstring, take careful aim, and by faith shoot them out of our spiritual jurisdiction and into the future.

Dads and moms, take note: the time that we have them in the home to get them ready to launch passes quickly! I know it doesn’t seem like that when you are struggling through those sometimes-draining period of years of raising young children. But I know from first-hand experience that it did go fast. (The days sometime seem long, but the years go quickly!)

And as they fly, like arrows flowing out into the future, they will be carrying with them what we have invested in them spiritually (and what they have chosen to receive). Our goal is that they carry with them the eternal truths and the eternal life of Jesus Christ into this dark and dying world long after we are gone.

This truth and heavy responsibility should shape the way we approach the responsibilities of parenting. Spiritual instruction from God’s Word and prayer are our weapons against the many dark forces of our day that are aligned against our children.

Parents, there will be struggles in a world that groans under the curse of sin. Many of them. Always remember that there are no perfect families. They will always be our kids no matter their age or their circumstances.

But the responsibility is squarely upon us to “bring them up in the training and admonition of the Lord” (Eph. 6:4). Parents of young children, my prayer is that you will hear these truths.