While many of us have a favorite hymn from the beautifully inspired hymns of praise that have touched our hearts and brought tears to our eyes, The Songs of Zion are unique to our Church. They are songs that belong to a new time; they belong to a new era; they belong to our people. They are songs sent from the throne of God as a gift to The Church of Jesus Christ. They are inspirational and related to Christ and His promises of the latter-day times and events. This gift was given to our late Sister Arlene Buffington, as our songs of hope and joy, looking forward to the fulfillment of the kingdom of Zion, bathed in the latter-day glory of the restoration.

Today’s focus is No. 224, “Crossroads of Life.” We’ll look at the meaning and application of the song, because it’s too easy to sing without paying attention to the words and their meaning.

224. CROSSROADS OF LIFE

VERSE 1

Look up ahead, see the crossroads of life. 

And today is the day to choose.

One road says life and one road says death, 

One pathway you win – one you lose.

VERSE 2

See there one road is so bright and so clear, 

And see such a few find the way.

But down the other the crowd is so great, 

And death is the price that they pay.

VERSE 3

The road of life is eternal you know, 

And the road of death has no end.

Both are forever and you must decide. 

These roads part the dearest of friends.

VERSE 4

The games of youth are behind you today, 

And your childhood has vanished away.

Years pass so quickly, as dreams in the night. 

Christ is calling strong soldiers today.

VERSE 5

So consider the choice at the crossroads of life, 

And don’t let the crowd choose for you. 

Run to the Savior and make Him your choice. 

Salvation is yours if you do.

©2016 Arlene Lea Buffington

This song brings to mind the battle that many figuratively fight. The battle of whether to serve God and covenant with Him through baptism or to remain on the sidelines and keep Him at a distance. 

It was Joshua who spoke to children of Israel, reminding them of the many times the Lord was with them: preparing the way for them to leave Egypt, taking the city of Jericho, being victorious over “the Amorites, and the Perizzites, and the Canaanites, and the Hittites, and the Girgashites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites” and he asked them to “choose you this day whom ye will serve … but as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord” (Joshua 24:11-15). 

Joshua was convinced and convicted that the God of Abraham, Issac, and Jacob was the only true God and the only true path to follow.

Today, many are unsure of which road to follow. Lehi’s sons had the same decision to make. In fact, we all had the same decision to make, whether to follow the Word of God and “a straight and narrow path, which came along by the rod of iron” or to take the path “towards that great and spacious building.” Nephi continues in his record, saying, “many were lost … wandering in strange roads. And great was the multitude that did enter into that strange building” (1 Nephi 8:31-33)

Like Laman and Lemuel, we’ve all made bad decisions and gone down the wrong road at times. In fact, many of those poor choices were in our youth. Even Joseph Smith Jr., in a letter written to Oliver Cowdery, admits that he was guilty of many vices and follies in his youth. Yet, he came to a point where he began to earnestly seek the Lord and seek direction. As he was reading his Bible in James 1:5-6: “If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him. But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed.” Young Joseph said, “Never did any passage of scripture come with more power to the heart of man than this.”

And isn’t it true, that our faith in Christ and our desire to seek Him is what leads us down the RIGHT road? 

And thank God, that even after making mistakes, we can still find our way back. 

For those of us who came to the crossroad and chose Christ, we’re eternally grateful. And for those who are at that crossroad, or maybe passed by it, we pray earnestly for you, that you might not be influenced by the world and its temptations. Instead, we pray that you find yourself seeking the Lord and His direction.

May God bless you.

And, if you’re interested in learning more about the Songs of Zion or just listening to the Songs, here’s a link to the Songs of Zion website: https://thesongsofzion.com/

This article has undergone ministry review and approval.