"But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint" - Isaiah 40:31 (NIV).
Robert Frost's famous poem, "The Road not Taken" is about a traveller who finds himself at a road juncture facing two roads. The traveller rather than take the seemingly easy watered route, decides on the more drier patch. But difficult as it is, reaches his destiny, well and sound. Finally at the end, the traveller sings: "I took the one less traveled by, And that has made all the difference"!
There are two roads every life encounters. One might be so tempting because everything seems so alluring. Another, few dare, because there is nothing alluring about it.
The one who takes the easy road may easily rush to his destiny, for there is no challenge to encounter along the way. All is smooth. But the one who takes the less traveled road may be delayed as he faces all sorts of obstacles in the way. But through it all the traveller finnaly but sure makes it.
Sometimes the Lord leads us to such a juncture with two roads. Instead of leading us upon the easy road, as is our prayers, he points us to the difficult road. We may wonder why once on it and perhaps think the Lord has abandoned us. However once we get to the destination with the Lord's help, we have only praises, finnaly appreciating the Lord's plan all along for our lives.
Today, you may find yourself on a difficult road, less traveled and full of thickets and thorns. Perhaps you may have a feeling of abandonment. When you persevere, as you should with the Lord's help, and finnaly get to your destiny, as you will indeed, then you will know what a blessing it was to take the "Road Not Taken!"
Prayer for today: Lord Father God of Abraham, maker of heaven and earth, today I thank you for the road you are leading me along because of the treasures I pick along the way, and difficult as it is, I know with your guide, victory awaits at the end, this I pray in Jesus's name.
Related upcoming events
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19/04/2024 - 20/04/2024 All day“See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the wilderness and streams in the wasteland” ( Isaiah 43:19).
Just before fire was unleashed down on Sodom and Gommorah, Lot was told to pack up with his wife and two daughters and leave their homestead. Now, once out of danger, “But Lot’s wife looked back, and she became a pillar of salt” ( Gen 19:26). Perhaps here we might pause and ask why she was bothered to look back.
Of course it could have been that old “curiosity killed a cat” mistake! Yet, it could also have been Lot’s wife was not sure where she was going and longed for her old life back. This is a common error. There was nothing stirring to look back. Just before Lot’s neighbors had attacked his house eager to rape his visitors. “They called to Lot, “Where are the men who came to you tonight? Bring them out to us so that we can have sex with them” ( vv 5). Was there anything worth looking back to!
The case of Lot’s wife could be anyone else’s experience. The Lord has plucked you out of some mess. You have been delivered to a new life. Yet, somehow you decide to look back, as though there was anything good and worth longing for. Sometimes it is a bitter past you have been delivered from. Other than rejoice in your new blessings you keep being drawn back!
A wise caution goes, “As a dog returns to its vomit, so fools repeat their folly” ( Proverbs 26:11). If the Lord has just led you out of a certain mess why look back like it was much better! Instead look ahead, for “he who made a way through the sea, a path through the mighty waters, who drew out the chariots and horses, the army and reinforcements together, and they lay there, never to rise again, extinguished, snuffed out like a wick: Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past” ( vv 17- 18).
Prayer today: Lord Father God of Abraham, maker of heaven and earth, I thank you for delivering me from the darkness of the past and I look forward to a bright new future in you, this I pray in Jesus’ name!
