Sunday Afternoon Tea - The Ancient Paths

Thus says the Lord: stand by the roads, 

and look and ask for the ancient paths, 

where the good way is; 

and walk in it, and find rest for your souls.

Jeremiah 6:16

 

The above Bible verse has been on the sidebar of this blog almost from the beginning.  It is one of my two life verses, the first verse chosen was Proverbs 3:5,6.  Well, it actually chose me.  I hadn't heard of a life verse when I memorized that one to hold close when needed.  Later I realized that it was a God given life verse.

Jeremiah 6:16 jumped off the pages of the Bible and was embedded in my memory a couple decades later.  I have been thinking of it a lot recently.  Especially with the constant change surrounding us, not only in technology but in the culture.

This verse brings a mental image of looking for and finding the ancient paths, then standing firm to walk in them when the hurricane force winds of adversity and change come against us.  While others fall on the wayside, we stand firm because our roots are bound in ancient Truth.

For me, it is a beautiful reminder that real Truth is found not only in God's Word but in a relationship with the Ancient of Days, Himself.   I find by holding on to these Ancient truths, it is also easier to keep an Eternal perspective on all things.  You may laugh but I think most will understand that I find myself muttering saying, "I'm just passing through, this world is not my home" quite often each week.

While I do what I can to walk in peace, I know when I've spent too much time reading online when I feel jumpy... unsettled... definitely not at peace.  Sometimes it is just by not turning the channel after our local news is over and I catch the first few minutes of the national news, so often slanted against conservative principles in general and the Ancient Truth in particular.

Like Lot, I am vexed in my spirit.  

However, I also know... and have written quite often... that this is the time in history and the place and with the people that God has ordained me to live (Acts 17: 26-27*).  Each of us as we follow Him.  He did not promise us it would be easy, no... He told us it would be difficult at times.  But as we look to those Ancient words, we will successfully reach the goal line.

When I was considering closing Coffee Tea Books and Me a few years ago, I knew God was telling me not to do it.  Even though I kinda' stomped my feet and told Him that I was tired of being tired and what in the world could I continue writing?  Even if it meant not saying hello each week to people I have come to cherish.

If you remember... because I have shared my little pity party tantrum before... I told Him that I would indeed keep writing if He would give me the ideas of what to write about each week.  He has and while I may not always write perfectly what He has said... I do my best.

But there was something else He has put on my heart, another reason to keep writing.  So that there would remain places people like me can go to and know they are not alone.  If we were to judge only by what we see mostly in the media (not always but most of the time), then those people who believe the Ancient words and the Ancient paths have either died off or there is only a small remnant.

That is not true, it is a lie of the enemy and the age in which we live.  We need to remind each other that Truth.  Since Eden, the enemy of our souls has tried (and often succeeded) in getting God's people off the Truth.  Sometimes in the smallest of lies which lead to huge consequences.  Did God say?  Really?

I think that is why the Word says we are not to forsake the assembling together, especially in these last days.  The best assembling is face to face with fellow believers in His ways.  Next best is in writing and reading and getting to know others from all over the world.  There is a remnant, my friends, but it is not tiny.

What happened in Jeremiah's day?  Did the people heed God's advice?  We learn in the next verses that they didn't... "we will not walk in it... we will not listen".  Eventually, judgment came and Jerusalem fell. 

However, we can personally be like Joshua and tell Him, "As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord"**.  If everyone else turns against His Truth... we will not.  I don't know about you but I want to finish well, to cross that finish line having stumbled and failed but having never given up.

*Thank you, Joy, for leaving the correct verse in Comments!
** Joshua 24:15

Image:  I moved the palm plant from my study to the dining area to get some more green in that area!