Robert found himself at yet another crossroad on his journey. With four options in front of him, which would lead to where he needed to go? A decision must be made. Going straight will keep Robert on the same path he has been traveling. Turning left will take Robert west, a right turn will have him heading east. And of course, if he is unsure, he could always turn back and retrace where he has come from.
Throughout our lives as well as in the life of the church we come to many crossroads. At each crossroad or intersection a decision must be made. In which direction will we proceed? Each of the intersecting highways leads not only in a different direction, each leads us distinctly away from the point of intersection – the point of decision.
The decision to be made takes into consideration…
- North – straight – Does the path we are on take us to where we want to go should we continue straight ahead?
- West – Left – Turning left (west) leads to new horizons. Are we pioneers heading off into new territory with a great sense of adventure or simply heading off into the sunset?
- East – Right – Will this bring the spectacular sunrises and new dawning we are seeking and need?
- South – U-turn – turn around and go back – live in the past and stay in familiar territory.
Assessing each we find:
South – Our history, where we have been, no forward progress.
North – Is the same course we are currently on going to provide what we need to sustain our future or future life of the church and kingdom growth?
East and West – These are different for every individual, church and ministry. Are we pioneers, ready for blazing a new trail or looking to fade away like the sunset? Are we ready for a new beginning, the dawning of a new chapter in our lives?
In all of our lives these crossroads come. We must make a decision at each one. The decision we make leads us towards the next crossroad intersection. The decision we make determines the next leg of our journey. Will we be moving forward or retreating to what we know, where we have already traveled?
Are we ready to strive for new horizons? Is what we are looking for a new beginning like the dawning of a new day, a new journey? Then we are turning east. Perhaps the idea of pioneering, heading west is appealing. Or a west turn could have us coasting for the sunset of our lives.
In life you have just come through a crossroads, you are at a crossroad, or you will soon be approaching one. What are you contemplating as you decide the next leg of your journey? How will you determine which is the best path for your journey?
