Yellow Brick Road


In all your ways acknowledge him and he will make your paths straight. Proverbs 3:6
Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path. Psalm 119:105

This morning during my prayer time I was talking to God about feeling a bit lost. I so dearly want to do His will and go only where He directs. I prayed for a clearer vision, for more Holy Spirit power. Suddenly I found myself talking about the yellow brick road from the Wizard of Oz.

How great would that be? Can you imagine? You take your question, decision, confusion to God and turn it over to Him. There in front of you, path illumined! If only the Holy Spirit would take us by the shoulders, turn us toward our goal and say, “follow the yellow brick road” or shiny white way or whatever color the Holy Spirit likes to use.

Throughout the day my mind wandered back to that thought. What if? It isn't like it would be all smooth steps from there. We would still encounter trials and potholes. Think about Dorothy's journey. Can you hear it? “Lions and tigers and bears, oh my!”

That's not all of it either. There was evil, in the form of a wicked witch, and once again, Dorothy has it easier than we do. Evil doesn't show up at my door wearing a pointy hat and carrying a broom. It often looks a lot like fun or even opportunity. Our enemies are not as blatant as Dorothy's were. Ours are sneaky. They masquerade as righteous indignation, worry, or things that are “not that bad.” Sometimes our enemy dresses up to look more like invitation than temptations.

Dorothy had her yellow brick road and her obvious nemeses, while we walk by faith and try hard to recognize the enemy. We have to walk by faith. God's Word is most certainly a light to our paths but we have to stay in that light, in the Word. Even so, we often misinterpret it. We walk our various color, brick, sand and pothole filled roads. We do what we can to avoid evil and we pray. And right there is the biggest and best difference.

In the end, at the end of the yellow brick road Dorothy encountered a fake savior. In the end when we get to our curtain, we don't have to wonder what's behind it. It's torn. It was torn by the One who came to save us. We may have a more treacherous journey. We may not know exactly what road to walk or how to walk it but we do know one thing. When we get to the end, we're already home. No need for ruby slippers and incantations. All we need is the saving grace of Jesus Christ and the best news is, we already have it.

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