My major in college was Ancient History. I studied this discipline because I was fascinated with the Old Testament and wanted to understand the context in which the Old Testament books were written. Because I spent many years traveling the world, leading a mission agency, I had the opportunity to see the sites of much of that history: Roman, Phonecian, Jewish, Arab, Asian, and many more. There is nothing more moving to me than to walk the paths that have been traveled for thousands of years. Somehow it links the past to the now and many of the lessons learned then are being learned today once again.

The Old Testament also talks about ancient roads. For instance, in Jeremiah 6:16, the Lord says through Jeremiah, “Stand at the crossroads and look; ask for the ancient paths, ask where the good way is, and walk in it, and you will find rest for your souls.”

All of us experience crossroads in our lives. Junctures where we must make choices as to which road we will take. It can happen daily in small or large ways. It is those times when we have a choice whether we will choose to follow God or go our own way. And candidly, the modern thing to do is to follow modern mores and practices, and often our own desires. I am sure you can think of any number of examples of where you have stood at such a crossroad.

What is the Lord’s counsel when we stand at those crossroads? First, He says look. Consider, think about the options that are available to you, and each of us do have options. But then He says, here is what you should do: Ask for the ancient paths - the paths that I told you to walk in. They are not modern in terms of the values of our society but they are true and good paths because they are the paths and ways of God. 

These, says the Lord, are the good ways and if you will walk in them you will find rest for your souls. Here is the irony. When we choose paths that are modern but not in line with God’s teaching we never find peace. In fact, we find complications, sadness, lack of satisfaction and trouble.

But the ancient ways, the ancient path, the path of the Lord gives us rest for our souls. That is peace, satisfaction, goodness and a sense of well being. Those ancient paths connect us back to the teachings of God which come from a place of holiness, righteousness, peace and love. Given for our well being.

Remember this week when you stand at a crossroads and have choices to make. Look and ask for the ancient paths, ask where the good way is, and walk in it and you will find rest for your soul.

Father, teach me the joy of your ancient ways. The roads that connect me and my generation to your timeless truths for my life. Help me to choose the old way, not the new way. The good way, not the compromised way. You are the Ancient of Days, the beginning and the end and the author of the good and ancient paths.