Guidelines For Living

Guest (Male): Take a break from your busy schedule and join Harold Sala for Guidelines for Living.

Harold Sala: Jeremiah the prophet was a man who needs to be rediscovered today. The circumstances surrounding his life and world have so many parallels to life today. How so? For one thing, instability had gripped the world. Jeremiah's beloved nation was about to be chewed up by the powerful tiger of Babylon. Social structures were failing too. Families were being torn apart; truth and morality had been sacrificed in the process. The priesthood had become politicized. No wonder Jeremiah seemed out of sync with his day—an old prophet who castigated the moral and spiritual decline. No wonder he was publicly scorned and privately castigated.

There is a text in the book which bears his name which needs to be emblazoned on the conscience of every parent. God expects more, something more of His children than that which satisfies the world. God spoke to Jeremiah. Here is what He said: "Stand at the crossroads and look and ask for the old paths and ask where the good way is and walk in it." There were three parts to that advice. First, go back to the crossroads, back to the place where you took the wrong path and look.

God is saying, "You've been down the wrong road. You've learned that it didn't bring you peace or contentment." Now stand there, mentally speaking. Take a look down the narrow road, the one that seemed to be less exciting, and realize it was here you went wrong. Let's stop for a moment. Is it ever too late to acknowledge that you went wrong? You may think so, but in reality, it is not. A thief on the cross seeing his life ebb away minute by minute came to that place. He cried out, "Lord, remember me when you come into your kingdom." He went back to the crossroads and took the right path.

Before you go back to the crossroads, that fork in the road where you went wrong, you must stop what you're doing and mentally look back. Often we think it is too late for us. Not so, friend. Coming to the end of the year is a time for reflection and to go back if you missed the right path. Step number two in this process is this: Ask for the old paths where the good way is. In reality, prayer is asking. It is saying, "God, I went wrong. You know that, and now I admit it. I don't want the future to be a rerun of the mistakes of the past. Forgive me, show me the right way to go."

Israel had missed God, and in spite of their waywardness, God promised to help them if they would only come back to Him. He said, "Call to me and I will answer you and tell you great and unsearchable things you do not know." God will do the same for you as well. Step number three in this process of finding the right direction is this: When you have found the good way, walk in it. This is a matter of simple obedience, of putting your feet in a straight line in the direction you know God wants you to go.

With that simple step of obedience comes a great promise. God said, "You will find rest for your soul." God did not force them; He invited them. Sadly, Israel rejected God's invitation. Don't do it, friend. Going back to the fork in the road requires courage and humility.

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