Which path will you choose?

Multitudes, multitudes
in the valley of decision!
For the day of the Lord is near
in the valley of decision.
The sun and moon will be darkened,
and the stars no longer shine.
The Lord will roar from Zion
and thunder from Jerusalem;
the earth and the heavens will tremble.
But the Lord will be a refuge for his people,
a stronghold for the people of Israel.  Joel 3:14-16

Vast multitudes are gathering in the valley of decision, the place of God’s judgement. They just keep coming and coming. The number of people is astonishing – ‘Multitudes, multitudes..’ Joel is amazed by the scene before him.

This is where God will face His enemies. Where they will be accountable to Him for all that they have done. Where God will decide their fate.

In the valley of decision.

There is no escape. All that shine down from above – the kings and leaders and rulers – will be brought down. Their influence will be extinguished. They will no longer shine.

For many, this will be a terrible day. A day where God reveals His mighty power over the whole universe.

But for others however, it will be a day of joy. For the few who have chosen to walk in God’s way. Those who can rejoice in seeing justice being done. Seeing their enemies be held accountable for the evil atrocities.

Because this mighty God will be their refuge. He’s done it before; He’ll do it again.

God is our refuge and strength,
an ever-present help in trouble.
Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way
and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea,
though its waters roar and foam
and the mountains quake with their surging.  Psalm 46:1-3

These individuals have nothing to fear. They have chosen to walk with God and God will protect them.

Because for every single person in that multitude, their position in the valley of decision has been arrived at by their own decisions. Every small choice every single day. Choosing to follow God or to go it alone. Choosing to act in love or hate. Choosing to show compassion or turn the other way. Choosing to live life to the full or make decisions that lead to death. Choosing to trust God or go it alone.

How we will stand before God on that final day starts now. Starts today. Starts with which path we will choose today.

I’m reading a great book at the moment called ‘Backbone’ by David H Wagner. It’s a book specifically for men but I’ve given up waiting for the men in my life to read it! David H Wagner would describe himself as spiritual but not religious. But his description of the path we choose to take through life sounds an awful lot like this –

Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it.  Matthew 7:13-14

He takes his illustration from the Lakota tradition of two roads through life – the red road and the black road.

The Red Road is the road of honor, wisdom, power, and vision. The Black Road is the road of pettiness, dishonor, selfishness, and unconsciousness.   Page 17, Backbone, David H Wagner

That’s the choice each one of us faces every single moment of every single day. Whether we’e religious or spiritual or neither. Whether we believe in God or not. Whether we’re ready to label ourselves a Christian or person of faith or whatever.

Just look around you. It’s there.

The Black Road is wide and popular and easy to follow. You don’t even need to be fully awake to drift along there. It’s the path of least resistance, just going along with the crowd, swimming with the flow.

The Red Road requires attention. It’s more isolated and difficult to navigate. It’s always changing and always challenging.

When we walk the Red Road, we become stronger, wiser and better with time. When we walk the Black Road, we just get old and stupid.

I’ve made my choice. I want to walk in God’s way. I want God to be my refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble. That still means I have a million choices to make every day – choices to stay on that road or wander off from it for a while.

However in all things, I aim to CHOOSE LIFE.