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Let's Go Home a Different Way

by Jerry Ousley  
4/01/2011 / Christian Living

In the past I've been famous for trying new roads. If we aren't in a hurry it's kind of fun to discover where a road goes. But there was one time when I was in a bit of a hurry and I took a chance anyway. I was going to a pastor's conference that was being held in the southern part of Wisconsin. Getting there required me to drive through Chicago. Now I've driven through large cities several times but being from a small town that sports only one stop light I've got to say that the experience of a city always leaves a few butterflies fluttering around in my stomach.

There was a certain road that I was to get off on so I studied the map in detail to choose the best route. I also hate paying tolls. The most direct route was a toll road. I thought that I'd see if there was another way around to avoid tolls and what do you know, I found one! What I didn't realize was that there were two exits for that road from this bypass. I took the road that didn't require tolls and before long I saw an exit for the road that I was supposed to take. I was so nervous that I began to sweat, and it was early fall so the temperatures weren't those that required sweating. To play it safe, or so I thought, I took the exit. I drove for several miles up that road, stopping at numerous traffic lights. Finally I came to the place where the second exit crossed and realized my mistake.

I got to where I was going but I also saw a part of Chicago that isn't on the tourist routes. With all the traffic lights I probably spent an extra five dollars in gas, but I did avoid the three dollars in tolls. Hey, it's the principle of the thing, you know?

In the second chapter of Matthew we read the story of the visit of the Magi, or wise men. Some have nick-named them the "wise guys." These were men from eastern countries who had studied the stars and were considered to have great wisdom. They had discovered a new star one that seemed to be moving. Today we'd call it a jetliner, a satellite or a UFO, and we'd probably dismiss it at that, but they didn't know any of those terms then. They had to find out more about it so they saddled up their camels and followed the star. What they came to learn was that this was a very special star created just for this occasion by none other than the great Creator, God Himself.

The star led them to Israel, then to Jerusalem where they dutifully reported to King Herod telling him of their discovery. Herod felt threatened that a new king had been born and so with a disguised motive he ask the wise men to report back to him once they had found the child.

They did find the baby Jesus, now three years old. The Bible tells us that they presented their gifts, and in verse 12 we read, "Then, being divinely warned in a dream that they should not return to Herod, they departed for their own country another way." God warned them about the evil intentions of King Herod.

Sometimes God does that for us too. Have you ever gotten that tingly feeling when you just knew something wasn't right about a situation? More than likely that's the Holy Spirit letting you know that you'd better do things differently, and go another way.

I can't tell you how many times in my life I've had that feeling, that Divine direction, and didn't recognize it. I went ahead and did things as I had planned and I lived to regret it. But had I chosen to follow the leading of the Holy Spirit how different that situation might have turned out. I urge you to follow the example of the wise men. Listen to God and turn another way. If you don't know Jesus Christ as your Savior then you need to go another way. Go the way of salvation through our Lord and I promise that you'll never regret it. Besides, sometimes a different way is just better.

Jerry D. Ousley is the author of ?Soul Challenge?, ?Soul Journey?, ?Ordeal?, ?The Spirit Bread Daily Devotional and his first novel ?The Shoe Tree.? Visit our website at spiritbread.com to download these and more completely free of charge.

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