The Impossible Shot

READ: JOHN 14:6; ROMANS 3:21-26; EPHESIANS 2:8-9; HEBREWS 7:25

I looked up at the enormous shimmering gates guarding a city of wonders: streets lined with mansions, rivers of crystal water, and a peaceful people ruled by a just and powerful king.

But no person entered the rich kingdom without first earning their spot, and there was only one way to do it.

I gripped the rough, wooden bow and took my stance. I knew the king stood on the wall and watched me, but I wouldn’t look at him. I swallowed hard and narrowed my eyes at the target, a large wooden circle nearly a mile away. With shaky fingers, I nocked my arrow and pulled it to my face.

I’d trained my entire life for this, practicing day and night so I would be able to make this one, impossible shot. I wouldn’t fail. I couldn’t. My muscles burned as I held my bow, arrow drawn, and pointed it at the target. Sweat was beading on my forehead, the muscles in my face twitched.

Breathe. Focus. Release.

My arrow, flying straight and fast, fell immensely short of the mark, disappearing into the thick brush.

I crumpled to my knees and stared after the only chance I had of living in the shining city with the good king. I dropped my bow, buried my face in my hands, and wept.

Someone touched my shoulder.

I looked up, into the kind face of the king. He’d left the safety of the city walls to come to me. He held out his hand. Hesitantly, I picked my bow up off the ground and placed it in his outstretched hand.

He pulled out a shining arrow and took aim, strong and steady, and confidently released the arrow. It flew across the expanse so quickly I nearly missed it hitting the target, directly in its center.

My mouth fell open as I looked back at him. He smiled. “Come,” he said, his voice warm and kind. Again he held out his hand, and I grasped it with my own.

The king walked me through the gates of his kingdom, welcoming me as his child. • Emily Tenter

• Today’s story is an allegory. How does the king act toward the archer in this story? Is this what you would expect from a king? Why or why not?

• The Greek word hamartia is often translated as sin in the Bible, but it’s also an ancient archery term that means “missing the mark.” How could it be helpful to think about sin this way?

• We’ve all sinned, missing the mark of loving God and each other (Matthew 22:37-40), and the result of sin is death. But God loves us and wants to save us so we can be with Him in His good kingdom! That’s why Jesus came. He is fully God and fully human—the only human who never missed the mark. By living a righteous life of obedience to God the Father, dying on the cross for our sins, and rising from the grave to defeat death, He hit the mark on our behalf! How could it be freeing to know we can’t earn our place in God’s kingdom, but Jesus made the way for us?

• When we put our trust in Jesus, He welcomes us into His kingdom as His dear children. And when He returns, He will raise us from the dead to live with Him forever in a world free from sin and death! For more about this good news, see our "Know Jesus" page.

• Jesus is the King of kings, and we can boldly approach His throne because of what He did for us on the cross (Hebrews 4:14-16; Revelation 19:16). Even though we’ll all continue to struggle with sin until Jesus returns, we can know that He empathizes with us because He faced the same temptations we do—yet He didn’t give in. So we can be totally honest with Him about our struggles and shortcomings. He already knows it all, and He wants to cover our faults with His mercy and help us walk in His good ways. Consider taking a moment now to come to Him in prayer. Whatever you want to say, He wants to listen.

For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—not by works, so that no one can boast. Ephesians 2:8-9 (NIV)