SPLIT THE ARROW

Psalm 37:3–5 (KJV 1900)

3Trust in the Lord, and do good; So shalt thou dwell in the land, and verily thou shalt be fed. 

4Delight thyself also in the Lord; And he shall give thee the desires of thine heart. 

5Commit thy way unto the Lord; Trust also in him; and he shall bring it to pass.

It’s 2026.

There Will Come Soft Rains — by Ray Bradbury- First published in 1950

There Will Come Soft Rains by Ray Bradbury is a haunting short story set in the year 2026. It depicts a futuristic, automated house that continues its daily routines even after a nuclear disaster has erased its human inhabitants. The story is rich in poetic descriptions, creating an eerie atmosphere as the house goes about its tasks amidst the silence of a destroyed neighborhood. The writing style is striking and deeply reflective, emphasizing the irony of technology persisting in a world devoid of life, which provokes thought about humanity's priorities and the consequences of its actions.

Starting a new year out with the goal of making the right decisions can feel like doing an impossible feat.

The Robin Hood Shot

Tokyo Japan-July 2020. It was a perfect summer day , when the world’s sharpest archers gathered to write Olympic history in the new mixed team archery event — a competition pairing one man and one woman from each nation.

In one of the semifinal matches, South Korea’s duo — An San and the 17-year-old Kim Je-deok — were facing Mexico, it was intense. This was the culmination of two lives completely dedicated to their craft.

As arrows whistled through the air toward the distant target — 70 meters away, a dizzying challenge even for Olympic archers — something extraordinary happened. Kim Je-deok let fly his arrow, and it planted perfectly in the center of the target.

Then came An San’s turn.

Her arrow left the bowstring with ice-cold precision, slicing through the wind… and then, in a moment that made history — it struck Kim’s arrow dead-on, splitting the shaft straight down the middle.

A “Robin Hood” shot — named after the mythic archer who was said to split an opponent’s arrow — is already almost impossible under the best of conditions. But to do it on the Olympic stage, at full competition distance, with both shots counting as perfect tens, was nothing short of a miracle. Experts calculate that An San’s arrow had to be within 0.2 mm of dead-center on Kim’s arrow for it to happen.

The crowd erupted. The cameras captured it. And the two arrows — now forever joined — became emblematic of that moment.

After that electric moment, South Korea marched on to win gold in the mixed team event — and An San herself would go on to grab three gold medals in Tokyo, cementing her legacy.

I. Trust Your Saviour

Having faith and trust is not something we do by default.

“Faith is the art of holding on to things your reason has once accepted, in spite of your changing moods.” - C.S. Lewis

We do not have faith by default because we are emotional creatures. We have allot of moods. Really an infinite number of moods.

In ancient Israel, as the people wandered in the wilderness, they often faced uncertainty. Despite their fear, they were reminded to trust in God who parted the Red Sea for them. This act of faith became an emblem for all future generations - trusting in the Lord means stepping into the unknown, with courage born from past deliverance. Just as Israel remembered their history of trust, we too are called to recognize how God has been faithful in our lives, urging us to lean fully on Him today.

II. Reckon Your Identity

Romans 6:11 (KJV 1900)

11Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Cybernetic Theory

1. First-order change (single-loop change)

Change within the system

The system stays the same

Adjustments are made to correct errors

Goals, rules, and structure remain intact

Examples:

Turning the thermostat up when the room is cold

Practicing more when a choir piece isn’t tight

Adding programs to boost church attendance without changing the church’s philosophy

2. Second-order change (double-loop change)

Change of the system

The system itself is altered

Goals, assumptions, or structure are redefined

Often disruptive but transformative

Examples:

Replacing the thermostat with a smart climate system

Changing how music ministry is structured, not just rehearsing harder

Rethinking the mission or governance of a church, not just its methods

“It’s not just redefining who you are. It’s redefining whose you are.” -Mark Batterson

We are a people bound by culture. Don’t believe me? Let’s take a look again at the Israelites for instance. The journey through the wilderness was an 11 day journey, but they traveled for 40 years. That’s 14,589 days longer than it should have taken. It was a more simple task to get Israel out of Egypt than it was to get Egypt out of Israel.

III. Commit Your Ways

Proverbs 16:3 (KJV 1900)

3 Commit thy works unto the Lord, And thy thoughts shall be established.

In the Book of Judges, we read about the Benjamites, a tribe known for their remarkable skill in battle, particularly their ambidexterity. They could sling stones with incredible precision using either hand. Imagine the significance of this ability in a time of war—being armed with versatility!

We are in a spiritual battle. We should be committed.

As Christians we do not have to sin.

Christ’s Commitment looked like a cross.