Flaps Blog

Well this could be a long story - in my creative endevours to decide on a tattoo (for 15 years), I finally decided. THE wife had come with various tattoo ideas over the course of the 12 years she had been involved in this endevour. Ideas which had sensitively been discarded. But then she came with a new idea which, after I sent her to the tattoo shop to study tattoo styles, resulted in this artwork on my left arm.

So does it mean anything? Yes. It does in fact. If you look carefully you will see within the arrow is written the word PURPOSE. This has to do with some promises that God gave me concerning the purpose that I believe He’s called me for. (Which is amongst other things to help direct people towards the unique purpose God has called them for!)

The first of these is in Isa 49

1 Before I was born the LORD called me;
from my birth he has made mention of my name.

2 He made my mouth like a sharpened sword,
in the shadow of his hand he hid me;
he made me into a polished arrow
and concealed me in his quiver.

An arrow is an extension of the archer’s hand. I believe that we are, as Jesus was, an extension of God’s hand. I believe that I am an arrow in God’s quiver, and that He hides me in his hand, keeping me safe in his quiver.

The second is found in Gen 49

22 “Joseph is a fruitful vine,
a fruitful vine near a spring,
whose branches climb over a wall.

23 With bitterness archers attacked him;
they shot at him with hostility.

24 But his bow remained steady,
his strong arms stayed limber,
because of the hand of the Mighty One of Jacob,
because of the Shepherd, the Rock of Israel,

I trust God to keep my bow steady, and stable, in the midst of much opposition, oppression, and attack, as I live out my calling. The reason for this is God’s mighty hand. When the Bible talks about God’s hand being upon people, it is usually a referral to God’s supernatural power which He exerts through us.

This is just the short version of the tattoo story. We could dig deeper as to what God means through these promises. But about the tattoo there’s not much more. The ‘e’ doesn’t symbolise anything - it’s just the arrow hitting the mark.

Three cheers for THE wife for her idea! Incidently, she’s now a free lance tattoo designer. Cathy, the tattoo queen, who did my tattoo (and everybody I refer), was so impressed with THE wife, she offered her an apprenticeship. Which Amanda declined. But wouldn’t it be the hottest thing if your wife is a tattoo artist!