Crossroads

Sunday was such a blessing.  The joy & comfort of worshiping in ones native language is amazing!  The message was thought provoking as well.  I have been pondering it off and on all week.  Yesterday when I was out with a dear friend we talked about it and this blog began to write itself.

Jeremiah 6:16 (NIV)

16 This is what the Lord says:

“Stand at the crossroads and look;

    ask for the ancient paths,

ask where the good way is, and walk in it,

    and you will find rest for your souls.

    But you said, ‘We will not walk in it.’

Stand at the crossroads.  Each and every day we stand at crossroads...  Many of these crossroads are small and may not make a big impact on your life...   Do I eat watermelon or have another hamburger?  Apple pie or peach?  Some of these crossroads are bigger... Do I go out with friends or do I stay home?  Do I buy ___ or save my money?  Some of the crossroads are huge... Do I marry him or not?  Do we buy that house?

The Bible tells us to stand at the crossroads and LOOK.  We should not make decisions lightly.  We need to contemplate our choices, even the small ones.  However the bigger the decision the more careful we need to be.  We need to stop & look.  We need to seek out help from "the ancient paths" - from GOD. From God's word.  From those who have walked with the LORD longer than we have.

We need to look for the "good way" and walk in it.

Philippians 4:8

Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true,whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.

When we do this, then and only then will we be walking in the Light.  It is then that the Lord will bless us.  However, like the Israelites of old, too many times we stand at the crossroads and choose to NOT take the right path.  Or we simply fail to stand and look, but charge full speed ahead.  Then we wonder why God has forsaken us.

If we chose to eat only junk food, we shouldn't be surprised when we gain weight.

If we chose to not reach out to people, we shouldn't be surprised when people don't reach out to us.

If we chose to buy that new shiny gadget that we really cannot afford, we shouldn't be surprised when we don't have money for important things.

When we ignore God's warnings & the advice of older saints, we shouldn't be surprised when the choices we made fall apart.

If we fail to stand at the crossroads and look, we set ourselves up to fall.  Fall on our faces, Fall away from God.

Each of us needs to remember to Stop, Stand, & Look to the LORD as we make the many decisions, big and small, in life.