As We Circle The Fork In The Road

Posted on July 9, 2019 by America's Keswick in Freedom Fighters

“I am tired of living among people who hate peace. I search for peace; but when I speak of peace, they want war!” Psalm 120:6-7 (NLT)

Are you one of those folks who is just getting to the point where the things that this culture has to offer is like stabbing yourself in the eye with a broken plastic spork? Now to be clear with you all I want you to know that I ain’t no fine example of a social angel by any stretch of the imagination but I mean…C’mon already? This idea that what was once considered bad behavior is now becoming the standard of a tolerant people and if you disagree with it you’ve become intolerant and you need your head examined or in some cases possibly kicked in? This is the way they want it? Unfortunately, the answer to that is…yes, they do. Sad but true.

Eugene Peterson (the guy who is known as the translator of The Message) once wrote, “Christian consciousness begins in the painful realization that what we had assumed was the truth is in fact a lie.” And I’m gonna second the motion. We are all getting ready to hit that fork in the road of our everyday living that is gonna ask the question, “You gonna repent from this or not?” And it ain’t gonna be a preacher man asking you this either. It’s gonna be God Himself! I wanna drop another quote on you and it’s from Scottish theologian and Church of Scotland minister John Baillie, “I am sure that the bit of the road that requires to be illuminated is the point where it forks.”

When we take a look at Psalm 120, we can see that it’s decision time. One of the first things to take notice of is what position the Psalmist is taking, “I took my troubles to the LORD; I cried out to Him, and He answered my prayer” (Psalm 120:1). Going vertical is one of the first things we are gonna need to do when that fork in the road pop’s up. I’ve heard it said from many folks around me that “Prayer wins the day” and in that there is much truth. We are gonna need His illumination at the fork in order to be guided along the best way and for that to happen is through prayer.

“Rescue me, O LORD, from liars and from all deceitful people.” (Psalm 120:2) Making our requests known during that time on our knees is our way of seeing if our hearts are knitting together with God. If you are asking for some crazy nonsense then check out the next few verses. “O deceptive tongue, what will God do to you? How will He increase your punishment? You will be pierced with sharp arrows and burned with glowing coals”  (Psalm 120:3-4). So know that you are in good company when it comes to extreme requests…just make sure you’re aligning that with the will of God.

“How I suffer in far-off Meshech. It pains me to live in distant Kedar” (Psalm 120:5). Even though these are the names of places, they represent the strange and hostile. Meshech was a place thousands of miles away near Russia and Kedar was a wandering Bedouin tribe along Israel’s border known for their barbaric reputation. So, basically the Psalmist is saying, “I live between Hollywood and D.C. This ain’t my home, I want out.”

At one point in history the nation of Israel was able to say they could reject the power of Mesopotamia, in Abrahams day, and be free from the wisdom of Egypt, in Moses’ day. As Eugene Peterson put it, “Mesopotamian power and Egyptian wisdom were strength and intelligence divorced from God, put to the wrong ends and producing all the wrong results.” I don’t think we, as a society, are too far away from this analogy.

So, what’s our position as we approach the fork in the road? Do we circle around it and wonder what we ought to do as a Christian community OR do we seek divine illumination? It would probably be best to put the broken spork down and pray. We’re also called to point out what is truth and what is lie, because Secularland has become so steeped in the reversal of what is good and what is evil. We’re gonna need the help that only comes from being attached to the One who had a better understanding than we do on how to conquer this present age.

Just before He went to Gethsemane to pray, Jesus says this to His disciples, “I have told you all this so that you may have peace in Me. Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows. But take heart, because I have overcome the world” (John 16:32-33). Ultimately, we’re gonna have to choose. Choose wisely…right Dave?

Written by Chris Hughes: Chris, a graduate of The Colony of Mercy (11-2003) has been married for 25+ years (Kathy), has a married son (Kevin) and a daughter in college (Karen). He has been a Freedom Fighter contributor since 2008.

Think About This: “The truth about what is wrong with the world is that I and the neighbor sitting beside me have sinned in refusing to let God be for us, over us and in us” — Eugene H. Peterson

The Daily Bible Reading: Obadiah, Acts 8:1-25| You can download our 2018 Daily Bible Reading Plan by clicking here

This Week’s Verse to Memorize: “Wash yourselves, make yourselves clean; Put away the evil of your doings from before My eyes. Cease to do evil, Learn to do good; Seek justice, Rebuke the oppressor; Defend the fatherless, Plead for the widow. – Isaiah 1:16-17

Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the doctrinal and theological views held by America’s Keswick.

 

 

 

 

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