The Bridge

 

 

In the valley of decision

How long I could not tell

The walls were steep beside me

I knew I was not doing well

 

Many people were around me

They struggled like I did

And when I reached out to them

It appeared they ran and hid

 

A few would talk to me

I could see they meant well

But even in their best efforts

My fears they did not quell

 

It seemed I’d reached a bridge

And yet there was nothing there

I asked how could this be

For it was really weird

 

It had become very misty

A huge fog covered the place

Of the people who were with me

I couldn’t see a single face

 

This bridge was unlike any

That I’d ever had to cross

To do so on my own

I knew that I would be lost

 

But there I was and alone

Standing on a ridge

And barely visible before me

There was this peculiar bridge

 

I saw no rails to hold to

Its way was straight and narrow

And to both of its sides

The drop was far from shallow

 

There was no possible way

That one would get across

For the slightest contrary wind

Off that bridge he’d be tossed

 

What to do was the question

My mind had posed to me

As I stood transfixed and pondered

The solution to my quandary

 

I couldn’t go back the road I came

That time had passed away

It was as though if you permit me

Trying to bring back yesterday

 

It’s impossible there’s no doubt

To go back the way one came

Life doesn’t have that mechanism

To go back and come again

 

 

Understood backwards but lived forward

Is the way someone put it

So if that’s what Satan offers

It’s a most depressing trick

 

I could continue on my way

A certain fall from off the ridge

Or I could take the other choice

And attempt to cross the bridge

 

Well, I chose the bridge

Or better the bridge chose me

And as I called for help to cross over

That help came instantly

 

Two nailed scarred hands reached out

And held me by my hand

Come on my child a voice had said

This is your Father’s plan

 

I am still walking that bridge

My hand is in the Master’s hand

Faith is the rails on either side

That leads to the promise land

 

Stewart Russell © January 2018

 

Indecision Is A Decision

 

“In the valley of decision”

Might occur in most situations

But there is no such valley

Regarding a soul’s salvation.

Pertaining to one’s salvation

There is no in between

There is no sitting on the fence

One has to come clean.

Some people straddle the fence

But that’s just their perception

One is either saved or not

Let that be your conviction.

So while making up your mind

You are still unsaved

And it really does not matter

How like a Christian you behave.

You may look very good

And be on your best behaviour

But you are still unsaved

Until you come to Jesus, the Saviour.

 

 

No valley of decision I repeat

You have already made a decision

No in between I reiterate

Concerning your soul’s salvation.

You’ve made up your mind

That you must believe:

You are either Christ’s

Or Christ you have not received.

You may be thinking about it

That’s all well and good

But it’s not well-intentioned thoughts

By which we will be judged.

It is not what we are doing

That will do it for us,

It is who is steering our ship

Whether the devil of Jesus.

“In the valley of decision”

Is trying to make up your mind

But please be very aware

You belong to the devil at this time.

Harsh though this may sound

It is unmistakably true,

If you have not accepted Jesus

It is time that you do.

There are so many things

That we almost "had done"

But almost is no help to you

When this life course you have run.

In the valley of decision

Never means you are in between

Since in all reality

There is no such scene.

It is your imagination

Yes, it happens in you mind

And of the several lost souls

You are just one of that kind.

Indecision is a decision

That you have not accepted Christ

That paid for our salvation

With his blood and his life.

If he had been undecided

We would still have been lost

But rather he was determined

To pay the ultimate cost.

You may halt between opinions

That may be your disposition

But understand you are still lost

Because indecision is a decision.

There is no valley of decision

Concerning one’s salvation

Accept Jesus now

And avoid hell’s damnation.

Stewart Russell © June 2018

In the Valley of Decision

In the valley of decision

And you don’t know where to turn

Two signs along the way

Will help you the path confirm.

Some say there are three

But I believe there are only two:

Two answers from the throne

That come to me and to you.

You can disagree if you like

But read on and you will see

There are only two responses,

I repeat, just two and not three.

But how can we simplify

All of life’s hard decisions

And trivialized them as it were

Into two straightforward positions?

Well it is not so straightforward

But it comes right down to two

However difficult your decision

Concerning everything in your view.

Often there is a lot of clutter

That first must be cleared away,

Much of it is our own desire

And really not what God has to say.

But when we come to His perspective

And we put our will behind

It is only then that we realize

There were two answers all the time.

It is somewhat like the traffic lights

There are amber, red and green,

Three colours but just two options,

Aha! Now you see just what I mean.

Red says that you must stop

 And green says continue on your way

But what does amber say to do?

“Wait”, I am sure is what you would say.

  

But how would you wait at a stoplight

If the light was showing green

And then proceed if that light was red

You would just create a scene.

So when it comes right down to it

Only two options you need consider:

Should I go or should I stop

Whether it’s red or green or amber.

You see amber really means to stop

If you are there at the traffic light

And if it catches you on approach

Stop is the option that is also right.

So that in truth and in fact

Amber indicates that we should stop

And that reality re: the traffic lights

Also pertains to our life’s lot.

God has overview of life’s decisions

He sees the outcome before we do,

He knows the end from the beginning

All of life’s future is within His view.

When we perceive that He says, “Wait!”

That’s another way of saying “No.”

To consider such as the answer “Yes!”

Is clearly not the way that we should go.

There’s no need to belabour the point

The options are only “Yes” or “No”,

“Wait” is a figment of our imagination

When in the future we intend to go.

Remember God is the one in control,

He determines when it’s yes or no,

He has no need to say to us to wait

For He says a thing and it is so.

Remember too it is He who orders

The steps of the righteous man,

Commit your decision making to Him,

Let His “Yes” and “No” be your plan.

Stewart Russell © 2017