18 August

Dear Friends,

A year ago, in order to give me something to do during my retirement, I decided to take up longbow archery.

In the Scottish Borders where we live there is an archery club called the Ettrick Forest Archers. I made contact with them and was given expert tuition over several weeks in how to shoot an arrow from a traditional wooden longbow and hit the target.

I must say that it is not as easy as it looks and there are so many things to think about and get right before you loose your arrow from the bow.

However, with the right amount of instruction and encouragement, I began to make progress and eventually my arrows were able to hit the target (most of the time!)

The Bible speaks about the Messiah who was to come as an arrow:

“Listen to Me, distant nations, you people who live far away!

  Before I was born, the Lord chose Me and appointed me to be His Servant.

  He made My words as sharp as a sword.

  With His own hand He protected Me.

  He made Me like an arrow, sharp and ready for use.” - Isaiah 49 v 1-2.

As Jesus grew up in Nazareth, He was being prepared to do God’s work of salvation. He was like an arrow, ready to be loosed from the bow to fulfil God’s purpose.

That arrow was loosed when Jesus began His public ministry and began to proclaim the Kingdom of God; it found its ultimate target when He died on the cross and was raised to life on the third day.

We are eternally grateful that our Lord Jesus was prepared to carry out the will of His Father and  lay down His life for each one of us.

May we show our gratitude in our worship and in our service, as we seek to follow Him each day.

Every blessing,

Scott 

Rev. Scott Guy

(Locum minister)