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.