Before us this day, is a question that
must be answered but not in a haste or without serious and in-depth
consideration. This is because many people in time past have had to answer
similar questions but before long went contrary to the answers they offered or
gave. This is the reason the Lord is approaching us from a new angle and
language that anyone that must answer must do so with every consciousness in
him and an understanding of its implications. (cons. Luke. 14:28-32). The
question is "will you
cross the rubicon today?".
To cross the rubicon is a common phrase
among youths especially students. It refers to Julius Caesar’s case of the
Rubicon River to wage civil war with Rome on January, 10, 49BC. River Rubicon
is a small river in Northern Italy, it marked the boundary in ancient times
between Italy and Gaul (the frontier boundary of Italy). There was a law then
that forbade any general with a standing army from crossing this river and
entering the Roman heartland. To do so was considered as treason. Meanwhile,
Caesar had been ordered to resign and disband his army because his increasing
popularity seemed to pose a threat to the ruling powers. Caesar, not willing to
surrender his political ambition and power must needs cross the River to
confront the power in-charge. This was a time of serious decision - either to
submit to the command or cross over to confront the power that be, but that
would mean opting for a civil war, marking a point
of no return. On coming to the banks of the Rubicon, he meditated and
thought deeply of his next step, he said to his troop ‘still we can retreat! But once let
us pass this little bridge, - and nothing is left but to fight it out with
arms!’. Soon, on sighting a challenging incidence, ran to the river and sounded
the ‘Advance’ and crossed to the other side declaring that THE DIE IS NOW CAST,
marking the point of no return. This began the civil war.
This account has not been given for us to
justify Caesar’s action but to actually illustrate what happens in many lives
and to help us see and understand what it takes if we must tread in the steps
that the Lord is directing us to. We shall now briefly consider what the
Rubicon is to us, what happens before the Rubicon, crossing the Rubicon and
what is obtainable across the Rubicon.
