“Thus saith the Lord, Stand ye in the ways, and see, and ask for the old paths, where is the good way, and walk therein, and ye shall find rest for your souls...”
Jeremiah 6:16
We live in a world which is quickly changing day by day. New and better things are always taking something else’s place and is in high demand. We opt for a new front loading washing machine instead of an old fashioned washboard. That’s a no-brainer, huh? We usually choose to text and email rather than sitting down and sending correspondence which will take days in the mailbox.
Think about the things of convenience which you might prefer. Is there anything you still prefer that is now an outdated concept or approach?
I always say there are just some things I still prefer to do the old way. No, I have no desire to use a washboard to launder my clothing, or to receive my ice in huge blocks, and neither do I prefer to use an outhouse. No way! Conveniences are always nice. However, I do prefer pen and paper, I enjoy growing my own food, and I sometimes wish I lived in the old days when things were, or at least seemed to be, a whole lot slower and simpler.
When I study the Bible, I find that God originally wanted to walk and connect with mankind in the simplicity and innocence of a garden. Fast forward a bit and because man disobeyed, God needed to institute a new plan. Sin separated man from God, so a sacrifice was required to make things right. Further down the road, God came to earth in the form of flesh to be the Supreme sacrifice and to make a way, once and for all, for us to be in right relationship with Him.
The entire Bible is a story of God pursuing us. Because of man’s disobedience, a new way was instituted. Yet, there will always be some old stuff which is necessary. You know, the basics which always stick around and work unwaveringly.
Repentance , prayer, Bible reading, fasting, and righteous living are basics which cannot be improved upon. Although many have tried to come up with new and improved ways to serve God, we cannot get away from the basics and expect to please Him.
It will ALWAYS be required of us to do the basics. We cannot improve on God’s plan.
Call it old-fashioned if you’d like but God has called us to be in this world but not of it. Proverbs 22:28 says, “Remove not the ancient landmark, which thy fathers have set.” Our souls will be at rest if we choose to stick to the tried and proven ways of serving God. Others have bled and died to make this pathway clearly visible. Let’s not substitute with a counterfeit.
I’m typing this post up on my handy-dandy iPhone, but would I rather be using an old typewriter? Well, some old ways are truly a matter of preference I suppose...then there are those ways which are definitely not. Don’t waste a day throwing out the old paths for new, more modern ways and concepts. Ask for the old paths. In a world which is tired and weary, we all need to return to the basics so God can give us rest and heal our land.
Be encouraged as you walk with God today.