Just some early morning thoughts from me to you…
“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.’”
Jeremiah 6:16 (NLT)
The words of a dear friend, from his book The Road to Somewhere, published in 2003, were floating through my thoughts as I sat here waiting for another day to stretch out before me. In his book, New York Times best-selling author, James Dodson, paints the experiences from a once-in-a-lifetime odyssey which he and his young son took together through some of the great cities and small towns of Europe.
At one bend in the road, having just finishing a period of exploration in Great Britain, and planning to head toward Holland—not his, but his son’s selection for their next destination—he penned these poignant words:
“I was just pleased to keep on keeping on, wherever the good road took us.”
Their original plans to circle the globe were curtailed considerably by the events of September 11, 2001 and the continuing ill-will exhibited between would-be and should-be neighbors around the world. But they made the best of it along the roads stretched out before them—both old and new—which they encountered along the way.
Wherever the good road took them.
It’s always there. The road before us. It may be a notorious one like the Road to the Final Four which sixty-eight college basketball teams across the nation will step onto next week heading to the determination of a national champion in Dallas, Texas.
It may be a familiar one like the road you travel to see your grandchildren, or them to see you, or roads both old and new take as families gather to celebrate Easter together within the next month. It may be one like the Emmaus road, traveled by two downcast men, running away from the tragedy—remembering Christ hanging on the cross—which took place in Jerusalem days before. Or upon hearing the good news of His resurrection, the road they took back to begin to tell the world.
“I was just pleased to keep on keeping on, wherever the good road took us.”
They’re all before us. Roads of every shape and size.
Some old and familiar and comfortable. Some old and familiar and monotonous—beginning to look a lot like ruts. Some new ones full of breathtaking scenery we’ve never seen before, yet with the unknown lurking around each bend causing our blood-pressure to rise just a bit. Roads with twists and turns, detours, forks and side-streets—leaving us confused as to which way to go. And some roads with valleys and hills—or as my younger Granddaughter, Ellie Kate, calls them while flinging her hands high in the air from her rear safety seat—roller coasters.
Roads with memories both fond and sad. Roads leaving scars as well as ones leaving brightly-colored ribbons. Roads which led to success and then some roads which led to failure. Roads evoking fear and roads which demanded courage. Roads to places destined to be our greatest accomplishments and roads to what may remain our greatest disappointments. And roads which led to dead-ends.
We’ve been on them all. And with the sunrise of each new day, we will have a choice and chance to journey on some of them again. Each new day is positioned on the threshold of one of the roads which stretches before us. On which ones will we choose to travel?
Perhaps the words of Jeremiah will help us to decide—
“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.”
Notice Jeremiah didn’t mean “old” necessarily in terms of old or familiar as opposed to new and unfamiliar. Jeremiah’s admonition is to seek the ones—old or new—where you know God will honor your going. It may not be the exact one on which He wants you to travel—but as He smiles down upon the attempt of your heart to figure out where you think He wants you to go—He will travel with you.
He may eventually grind you around to another road, or kick you down one over another as you stand at a newly-found fork or bend in the road. But remember, Godly assurance and rest will be found in knowing that He is going with you.
Facing a fork the road? Trying to decide whether to follow a bend, or follow a path which seems to lead into a valley or up onto a mountaintop? Not sure whether the detour in front of you is the way you should go? Having a little trouble with some uncertainty around a bend of a new expanse before you, or feeling a little jostled by some unexpected twists and turns or roller coaster-stretches upon which you are traveling?
“Stop…look around. Ask for the…Godly way, and walk in it. Travel its path, and you will find rest for your soul…”
And then, as my good friend encouraged us, in each brand new day—just keep on keeping on, wherever the good road takes you.
Knowing that He is going with you.
Today, tomorrow and every day for the rest of your life.
In His Name—Scott
Copyright 2014. Scott L. Whitaker. All rights reserved.
