Here are some insightful words from the prophet Jeremiah, spoken 1000s of years ago but highly relevant for our lives today:
Jer.6:16. This is what the Lord says: “Stop at the crossroads and look around. Ask for the old, godly way, and walk in it. Travel its path, and you will find rest for your souls.” But you reply, ‘No, that’s not the road we want!’ NLT
Some reflections:
- There are times in our life journey where we come to a crossroads.
- This is a time to STOP. We don’t want to just keep going in automatic or on cruise control.
- It is a time to look around at our options, which are many. Do we keep going on the same road we have been on or do we take a different road?
- Sometimes the path that we naturally want is not the path God is calling us to take. Wise people look for the ancient paths, which have been well-trodden by followers of Christ of old. It is often the narrow and more difficult path … but it leads to life.
- We must make a decision to choose the right path then travel on it, no turning back.
- If we do that, God promises us that we will find rest for our souls.
Could this be a metaphor for your life right now? Are you at a crossroads? If you are, I urge you to take ample time to stop, look around, and think about your next step. You'll be glad you did. Life is too short to get distracted or lured down some detour that takes you away from God's purpose for your life, leaving you with the regret of wasted time.
As the well-known children's road safety game goes … STOP, LOOK and LISTEN!