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So now the Lord says, “Stop right where you are! Look 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!’ ” —Jeremiah 6:16
The “old, godly way” is the path where we will find rest for our souls. This place is described in the New International Version of the Bible as the “ancient paths” and is called the “good way.” Israel’s journey through the wilderness as chronicled in Psalm 78 describes the path on which the people of God were instructed to walk.
First, the path was one of deliverance: “He divided the sea before them and led them through” (Psalm 78:13). The Lord knows how to deliver His people from all their enemies, even if the path leads in an unorthodox way!
Second, the path was one of guidance: “In the daytime he led them by a cloud, and at night by a pillar of fire” (v. 14). Because the Lord’s path is always better than our own, we should ask Him to show us where the “cloud” is moving in our lives.
Finally, the path was one of provision: “He split open the rocks in the wilderness to give them plenty of water, as from a gushing spring” (v. 15). If we keep walking in the paths of the Lord, there will be constant provision. We must remember the words of Psalm 23:1: “The Lord is my shepherd; I have everything I need.”
With the promise of God’s deliverance, guidance, and provision, why would we ever say of the path of the Lord, “No, that’s not the road we want!” (Jeremiah 6:16)? Choose to walk in the godly way, and find rest for your soul.
Suggested Reading:
Jeremiah 6:16-8:7 Colossians 2:8-23 Psalm 78:1-31 Proverbs 24:26