Jeremiah 6:16-20: a reflection

16The LORD says, “Stand in the ways and see, and ask for the old paths, ‘Where is the good way?’ and walk in it, and you will find rest for your souls. But they said, ‘We will not walk in it.’ 17I set watchmen over you, saying, ‘Listen to the sound of the trumpet!’ But they said, ‘We will not listen!’ 18Therefore hear, you nations, and know, congregation, what is among them. 19Hear, earth! Behold, I will bring evil on this people, even the fruit of their thoughts, because they have not listened to my words; and as for my law, they have rejected it. 20To what purpose does frankincense from Sheba come to me, and the sweet cane from a far country? Your burnt offerings are not acceptable, and your sacrifices are not pleasing to me.”

God calls his people to seek out the good, tested way, the ancient paths of wisdom and righteousness, and to walk in it, promising rest for their souls; but they refuse. Stand in the ways and see, God says, and ask for the old paths, where the good way is, and walk in it, and you will find rest for your souls. But they said, we will not walk in it. God points them to the good way, the tested path of wisdom and obedience walked by the faithful before them, and promises that walking in it brings rest for the soul; but the people refuse to walk in it, choosing their own way instead. This shows the good way that brings rest for the soul, and the folly of refusing it. The good, tested way brings rest for the soul. God points us to the good way and promises rest. Refusing the good way is folly; walking in it brings rest. Seek and walk in the good way, and find rest for your soul.

Notice both God's invitation and the people's refusal. God invites them to stand and look, to ask for the old paths, the good way, the tested path of wisdom and righteousness walked by the faithful before them; and he promises that walking in this good way brings rest for the soul. It is a gracious invitation to the way of true good and rest. But the people refuse: we will not walk in it. They prefer their own way, their own stubborn path, to the good way God points them to. This speaks to us. God still points us to the good way, the tested path of wisdom and obedience, the way of walking with him; and he promises that this way brings rest for the soul, a deep rest that our own self-chosen paths do not give. But we, like the people, can refuse it, preferring our own way, our own stubborn path, to the good way God shows us. The folly is ours, for the good way is the way of rest, and refusing it is choosing restlessness. We do well to seek out the good way and walk in it, rather than refusing it for our own path. The good way God points us to brings rest for the soul. Do not refuse the good way for your own stubborn path. Walking in God's good way gives a rest our own paths cannot. Seek the good way and walk in it, and find rest.

That is worth taking to heart, for the good way God points us to brings rest for the soul, and it is folly to refuse it for our own path, as the people refused to walk in the good way. We can prefer our own way, our own stubborn path, to the good way God shows us, and so miss the rest it brings; but God invited his people to walk in the good way and find rest for their souls, and they refused, to their own loss. The good way is the way of rest. Do not refuse the good way for your own path; seek it out and walk in it, and find rest for your soul. Seek out the good, tested way God points you to and walk in it, finding rest for your soul, rather than refusing it for your own stubborn path, as God called his people to stand and ask for the old paths, where the good way is, and walk in it, promising rest for their souls, but they said, we will not walk in it; for God points us to the good way, the tested path of wisdom and obedience walked by the faithful before us, the way of walking with him, and promises that this way brings a deep rest for the soul that our own self-chosen paths do not give, but we, like the people, can refuse it, preferring our own way and our own stubborn path to the good way God shows us, and the folly is ours, for the good way is the way of rest and refusing it is choosing restlessness, so that we do well to seek out the good way and walk in it rather than refusing it for our own path.

Lord, you call your people to seek out the good, tested way, the ancient paths of wisdom and righteousness, and to walk in it, promising rest for their souls; but they refuse. Stand in the ways and see, you say, and ask for the old paths, where the good way is, and walk in it, and you will find rest for your souls. But they said, we will not walk in it. You point them to the good way, the tested path of wisdom and obedience walked by the faithful before them, and promise that walking in it brings rest for the soul; but the people refuse to walk in it, choosing their own way instead. Show me both your invitation and the people's refusal. You invite them to stand and look, to ask for the old paths, the good way; and you promise that walking in this good way brings rest for the soul. It is a gracious invitation to the way of true good and rest. But the people refuse: we will not walk in it. They prefer their own stubborn path to the good way you point them to. This speaks to me. You still point me to the good way, the tested path of wisdom and obedience, the way of walking with you; and you promise that this way brings rest for the soul, a deep rest that my own self-chosen paths do not give. But I, like the people, can refuse it, preferring my own way. The folly would be mine, for the good way is the way of rest. Take that to my heart, for the good way you point me to brings rest for the soul, and it is folly to refuse it. Keep me from refusing the good way for my own stubborn path; help me seek out the good way you show me, Lord, and walk in it, finding rest for my soul, rather than choosing the restlessness of my own path.