Curvy Road Ahead!

T

he Blue Ridge Mountains in North Carolina are absolutely breathtaking. This is especially true during the month of October when the leaves are changing colors.  Nestled among the valleys, dotting the mountainsides, several small towns and communities provide various opportunities for tourists to visit the sites, sample the local charm, and try their luck on the slopes.  Everything about the area is charming and beautiful.

During the autumn, scores of people make their way up the winding mountain roads to the Blue Ridge Parkway, a highway built along this mountain range which provides large vistas, and awe-inspiring views of the mountains in all their splendor.  The mountains become a giant canvas onto which God spatters bright shades of orange, yellow, and red.  On a clear, crisp day the mountains stretch out before you, their various hues and shades of color playing and dancing with the sunbeams that bring them to life.

When I was living in North Carolina, I would sometimes make the one-and-a-half -hour journey to drive the Parkway and enjoy the sights and the wonders of the mountains.   After spending several hours in this wonderland, I began the long journey out of the mountains, winding my way toward home.  At many points along the way, several road signs warned of dangerous and sharp turns ahead.  The signs read something like this:  Caution! Curvy Road Ahead!! 

Boy, they weren't kidding.  Going straight down the mountain was not an option so the road turned back and forth and zigzagged down the mountain.  The sharp bend of the curves forced everyone in the car to one side and then everyone would shift to the other side of the car as the direction of the curve changed.  Doing this several times made for very interesting seating arrangements, especially if you were sandwiched between two or more people in the back seat.  It was always fun but after several miles of curvy road, it was nice to regain a flat, straight section of highway.

In a very similar way, this jaunt in the North Carolina Mountains directly resembles our walk with God.  God takes us into the mountains of his mercy and shows us some of the most incredible sights there.  On these peaks we learn valuable lessons, we refresh our souls and our strength, and we gain encouragement to continue our journey.  But then, it is time to leave the mountains and descend to the valleys below.

The descent down a mountain always involves curves.  The side of the mountain is too steep and any attempt to go directly down would end in certain disaster.  So God provides curvy roads to gently lead us down the mountain’s side.  It appears that we will never go to a smooth surface.  We are jostled about from one side to the other and just when we think the rough ride is over, the whole process starts over again.  We wonder if God knows what he’s up to and if the curvy road is indeed the only way down.

Rest assured that God knows what he’s doing.  Although it takes longer and is a little more cumbersome, going around the mountain is far superior to charging straight down its side.  The Children of Israel had this experience in the desert when they left Egypt.  Exodus13:17-18a says, “When Pharaoh let the people go, God did not lead them on the road through the Philistine country, though that was shorter. For God said, "If they face war, they might change their minds and return to Egypt."  So God led the people around by the desert road toward the Red Sea.”

D

id you notice God’s reason for the curve?  So they would not lose heart and change their minds about following him.  God fully intends for you to follow him faithfully and he has designed the road ahead so that you will not grow discouraged, frustrated, or be overly burdened.  He knows what he is doing.  Just remember, when the sign reads, “Caution!  Curvy Road Ahead!” God is in the process of gently bringing you down the mountain so you will be ready to go up the next one and receive the blessing he has waiting there for you.  Remember to hold steady in the turns!