While out and about, I came to a fork in the road.
As I got closer, I thought of my life and the daily decisions I make. Not harrowing, life changing decisions of ruling a country, commanding a fleet or defending freedom. But daily, as I travel this pilgrim pathway, I come to a fork in the road with the choices I make. I can either choose to respond in the flesh or in the Spirit. “For the mind set on the flesh is death, but the mind set on the Spirit is life and peace.” Romans 8:6
Personally, I am faced with many choices daily without even stepping outside my home. My flesh might say, “Have cheese and chips,” while the Spirit says “Are you really hungry for physical food?”; My flesh says, “Go ahead and post about all the fun stuff you’ve been doing,” while the Spirit would say, “Your darlin’ teen needs a button sewed on her coat.” My flesh says, “Don’t worry about exercise, your muscles will hurt anyway,” and the Spirit prompts me to get moving because my body is His temple.
As a home school mother of two teenage daughters and a dear husband who works out of the home, I am presented with opportunities for the flesh or the Spirit with my family. God, in His goodness, gives me daily opportunities. How do I respond when a business call interrupts a family lunch? Ouch, this hurts. How do I respond when I don’t understand Algebra 2 or how to conjugate a verb in Spanish 2? I have daily choices. Choices to make for following the desires of my flesh or following the lead of the Spirit of God.
The next area the Lord brought to my mind was others. Daily, I make decisions regarding others. When the Lord lays someone on my heart, do I follow through with a phone call or an e-mail, or do I allow the flesh to say, “Oh, you’ll see her tomorrow.” When a friend shares a prayer request do I take the time to ask her if we could agree in prayer on the matter right now or do I say, “I’ll pray,” and then forget? Do I love those I come in contact with like Jesus, or do I get impatient when the cashier can’t locate a bar code and every line has 3 or more customers waiting? Will I choose to respond in the Spirit or the flesh?
Lord, daily I find myself at a fork in the road
Especially when tempers flare and I feel a goad
So many times, Lord, I just want to spout
In my flesh, God, I just want to shout
When “things” just don’t go my way
When people that I love seem to upset “my” day
Oh, my flesh and it’s selfish desires
Seem to have a life of their own that never expires
But Your Word Lord is Faithful and True
And at the forks, Lord, I’m believing You
Your promise says the mind set on the Spirit is life and peace
It’s what I want; help me Lord, the flesh to release
Oh, I want Your life and Your peace
And fleshly desires to end and cease
Fill me Lord with the mind of Your Spirit
Let me hear You speak and Your Word, keep me near it
When presented with a fork in the road
Let my self expire and fill me with Spirit overload
I want You Lord in every way, every day
Help me dear Lord at each fork today. Amen.
Lora,
Awesome post!! Something I needed to “hear” this day.
Blessings!
~Beth
Loved this post, especially the poem at the end…. Kind of a different view point from the fork in the road poem, “The Path Not Taken” by Robert Frost.
Great thoughts Lora!
Hugs,
Adrienne
Confirmation indeed! Praise the Lord! Thank YOU Lord Father God for using Lora, myself, and so many others to reach and grab us by the heart strings and shake us up and show us YOUR ways. In Jesus’ name, amen.
Hi Lora,
My husband has been very deliberate in the choices he makes in his attitudes and dealings with others. He has been a great example and he reminds us each day, that the choice is ours to make.
Sometimes my choices are not always the best. Thank you for another reminder to choose God’s way.
Praise our LORD GOD for He is good. Wonderful message–may our GOD be glorified continously through your life Lora as you share with us and as He uses you to bring strength to our hearts.
Love you.
So be it in my heart also, dear sister. My spirit joined in your prayer. I am going to print it off and keep it near to reflect and meditate. What beautiful thoughts prompted by this lovely little spot in the road. As always, you are seeing the spiritual in everything and bringing a smile to my heart!
I love that you included even the physical care of the temple of God, our bodies. I needed that booting! Seriously. Whatever comes between God and me, I need to shake off ~ and that includes extra weight that weighs me down. Thank you for this excellent post today!
Oh, dear Lora, I pray at each fork we would choose Him. Because choosing the spirit is choosing Him and I choose Him over me any day. God, please give me the courage to live it!!! Beautiful words, my friend.
Thank you for your message. It was a blessing for me to read today.