Finding Clarity When the Road Gets Foggy
By Dean Collins
Have you ever been in a situation where you have to make a big decision and you simply cannot see the right path forward? When it comes to driving, we now have wonderful technology that evaluates in real time where the road congestion is located and then navigates us to the best road to get to our destination in a timely manner. Unfortunately, that technology cannot help us with bigger life decisions.
We have probably all used the method of drawing a line down the center of a piece of paper and making a plus sign on one side and a minus sign on the other. We then list the pros and cons of what might happen if we decide one way or the other. This method can help us see the advantages and disadvantages of our choices.
The Lord gave Jeremiah a different method to tell the people of the southern kingdom of Judah: “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.”
As a person who tends to think a lot about the future, I have to daily remind myself of the value of looking back to see what I can learn from past decisions and from those who have gone before me. It was the Spanish American philosopher and poet who is often quoted concerning the value of history: “Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it.” No one knows for sure if Mark Twain said it, but a similar phrase is often attributed to him: “History does not repeat itself, but it does often rhyme.”
In the book of Jeremiah, the prophet instructs the nation that judgment is coming because of their failure to follow God’s instructions. Instead of worshipping God first and only, they had pursued God and often other gods instead of the Almighty. Jeremiah calls the people to stop and stand still on the road and take a long look at the past. I suspect that our ancient spiritual forefathers, like us, often forgot to be still and remember what God has already said and what God has already done for us.
One of Proverbs’ wise sayings has a similar message: “My son, give me your heart, and let your eyes observe my ways.” We cannot see God’s ways in the future, but we know that God is the same yesterday, today, and tomorrow, so our best hope of understanding the future is by remembering how God has consistently acted in the past. Whatever God has promised and delivered in the past, he will do again when we choose to walk in the ways of the Lord.
In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus told us that there is a wide and easy way and a narrow and hard way. Sadly, we sometimes blindly follow the crowd on the wide and easy way rather than following Jesus on the narrow way that leads to life.
Father, thank you for the truth of scripture that calls us to stand still and look back at all that you have done for us. Help us today to observe and choose the path that leads to righteousness through Jesus and give us the courage to walk in it. In Jesus’ name, amen.
Your Time with God’s Word
Jeremiah 6:16; Proverbs 23:26; Matthew 7:12-14 ESV
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