There are times in everyone's lives when they are likely to meet Jesus at the crossroads, times when some great change occurs in the course of life or some great challenge arises...
Life stages. Leaving school, getting married, starting a family, starting a new career, entering retirement... all these and more can be crossroads where we must consider our future and make important decisions.
Troubles and trials. Unexpected hardship, unemployement, long term injury or serious illness, legal or social entrapment, bereavement, seeing a loved one suffer... such crises can bring us to the crossroads in life.
Just thinking. Sometimes even without any of the above, we may start thinking deeply about our lives, feeling the need for a critical change to stop our drift away from God and to bring about a closer walk with him.
That Little Song
When I was a little boy, I used to sing a song that went like this...
I met Jesus at the crossroads,
Where the two ways meet;
Satan too was standing there,
And he said, "Come this way,
Lots and lots of pleasures
I can give to you today!"
But I said, "No,
There's Jesus here,
Just see what he offers me:
Down here my sins forgiven,
Up there a home in heaven,
Praise God, that's the way for me!"
God's Ancient Instruction
What is God's advice to us when we come to the crossroads? It was written long ago, but is still the best advice. Whatever the changes that occur in our lives, the right way to handle them never changes...
"Stand in the ways and see,
And ask for the old paths,
Wherein is the good way,
And walk therein" (Jer 6:16)
1. Stand in the ways and see
When God says, "Stand in the ways and see"(Jer 6:16), what does he mean? He means that you should not go rushing headlong. Stand still and consider. Consider not only the choice of ways ahead, but also, importantly, look back at the way by which you have come. See how God has thus far dealt with you. This helps to prepare you for choosing the right way ahead.
Samuel's Ebenezer
When Samuel helped the Israelites overcome the Philistines, he took time to stop and reflect on how God had helped him. He built a monument from stone and called it "Ebenezer" which means "By God's help we have come thus far"(1Sm 7:10-13).
When we "stand in the ways and see"(Jer 6:16), we may be moved to say, "Tis grace has brought me safe thus far, and grace will lead me home". We may even want to make some form of Ebenezer ourselves --a time of prayer and perhaps fasting, a special gift or act of thanksgiving, or maybe just writing an account of events.
Standing Strong
There is another thing we may note in the instruction to "Stand in the ways and see"(Jer 6:16). The first word, "Stand", implies strength. We don't fall down in the ways, but stand in them, strong in the Lord no matter what has befallen us. The scriptures often use the word "stand" in this sense (eg Eph 6:10-13,1Co 15:1-2, 16:13).
2. Ask for the old paths
When God says, "Ask for the old paths"(Jer 6:16), what does he mean? He means that there are many changes in the world and many new paths recommended by the world, and the world confuses change with progress. Not all changes, not all new things, are improvements. Recently I bought a new kind of mouse trap which is a great improvement on the old kind. However there's a lot of difference between a mousetrap and a path of wisdom and life. There is ancient, timeless, wisdom which cannot be improved upon. It shall always be the best path to follow.
The Lamp that Lights our Way
The Psalmist said to God, "Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path"(Psa 119:105). The paths where God's word shines may be old paths, but they remain the best paths, because they lead along the good way.
King Josiah's Attitude
In the time of Josiah's reign, the book of God's law was discovered in the temple after many years of being lost. When Josiah was told of the find, he made his people go back to observing it (2Kg 22:8,13).
The Gospel Way
For us, the old paths are found in the gospel of Jesus Christ. Although Jesus mediated a new covenant or law (Heb 8:6, 9:15), his gospel was in the mind of God before the foundation of the world (1Pe 1:17-20),. As a matter of interest, we note that in the book of Acts, the teachings of Jesus are called "the Way"(eg Acts 19:9,23).
3. Walk in the good way
When God speaks of "the good way" and tells us to "walk therein"(Jer 6:16), what does he mean?
Making a Start
He means that it is not enough to "see" the good way. It's not enough even to recognize that it is good. You have to actually enter into that way and "walk therein"(Jer 6:16). We have to follow that way and make it our way of life.
Walking in the Gospel
Many people regard the gospel as having little relevance to life. That's because it doesn't match their manner and philosophy of life. The gospel is certainly relevant to their lives. They reject it however, because they would rather continue to walk in their own way. Paul says that they "walk in the futility of their own mind, having their understanding darkened, excluded from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them"(Eph 4:17-18). The wise person does not ask whether the gospel is relevant to his life style, but rather whether his way of life is in accord with the gospel. Paul says, "walk worthy of the gospel"(Eph 4:1, Col 1:10). I understand that to mean that we conform our lives to the gospel and live in a manner that befits and exemplifies it.
Enter by the Narrow Gate
Jesus spoke of this very thing when he said, "Enter by the narrow gate, for the gate is wide and the way is broad that leads to destruction, and many are those who enter by it. For the gate is small and the way is narrow that leads to life, and few are those who find it"(Mtt 7:13-14). Remember this when you are at the crossroads in life. Stand in the ways and see, and ask for the old paths, wherein is the good way, and walk therein"(Jer 6:16).