Take The Upper Road
There is one thing that can never be taken from us, and that is the power to choose. You may feel that you are boxed in a corner with few options and that you find yourself under the circumstances, but there is always a choice. The circumstances may not change as you want them to change, but you can change. You can rise above them to the high place that the Lord has for you; where the air is pure and the view pristine. Most have chosen to remain under their circumstances; wallowing in despair and prisoner to their negativism, but there is an upper road. It’s true, to climb to this high place is more challenging than the level path in the valley. You will find many people who will encourage you to remain in the pit of criticism and unbelief. Even though it is easier to go down then up, you still have a choice.
To take the upper road, you will need “hind’s feet”. David said in the Psalms: “He made my feet like the feet of a deer and set me secure on the heights.” (Ps. 18.33) The hind, (as translated in the KJV), is a female deer whose home is in the mountains. They are the most sure-footed of all mountain animals. The rear feet of the hind step in precisely the same spot as their front feet. They move with single-minded consistency up the mountain; far above the reach of their enemies. This is the place God has for you and He has graced you with the ability to reach it.
I know an elderly couple in a church I planted in America that have chosen to take the upper road. Their lives have been a witness to me and many others, that we do have a choice, no matter how difficult the way may become. When the church went through a difficult time, they remained positive. When others were criticizing the pastor and elders, they remained loving and supportive. When people were leaving the church in anger, they stayed faithful. They kept their eyes looking up and knew that God was above all things. They kept to the upper road. I have known others that have gone through the agonizing death of a child, debilitating sicknesses, and family breakups without blaming God. They chose not to go the path of anger, resentment or depression, but rose above it. Their faith in God caused them to overcome their sadness and defeat all doubts. If you want to have hind’s feet, as these I mentioned, you must choose to go the path that the hinds go.
The upper road is not the path of high-mindedness. It is not obtained by proudly placing yourself above others. Pride is the way down, not up. It is God who places us far above our enemies. He exalts the humble and resists the proud. If you want to get to your high place, you must trust, wholly in the Lord, trust in His goodness and rely completely on His love. You may not understand why there are all the curves in the road and the difficulties along the way, but with each step He gives you strength and with each challenge He gives you grace. Victory may not seem to come until the last minute, but it does come.
In Hannah Hurnard’s beautifully written allegorical book, Hind’s Feet On High Places, she writes of the Shepherd (Jesus) saying: “I love doing preposterous things,” he replied. “Why, I don’t know anything more exhilarating and delightful than turning weakness into strength, and fear into faith, and that which has been marred into perfection…That is my special work,” he added with the light of a great joy in his face. “Transforming things – to take Much-Afraid, for instance, and to transform her into”, He broke off and then went on laughingly. “Well, we shall see later on what she finds herself transformed into.” And you, will you choose the upper road?
Scriptures to meditate on:
Psalms 18.33; Hab. 3.19; Gal. 5.1; Eph. 6.13; James 4.6; Phil. 2.5-11