Follow the Ancient Paths

Floyd is doing okay.  The prayer on my heart for him this week has been for encouragement.  I can't begin to imagine how hard this journey has been for him.  I know it's been hard for me, and his situation is more difficult.  We had an offshore earthquake a few nights ago.  I heard something, but didn't feel anything where I am.  The fault line runs near where Floyd is.  Many people around him felt the shaking.  I would love to know if Floyd felt it.  I thought of Paul and Silas' prison doors being opened during an earthquake.  I would so love for Floyd's "prison" to be shaken open!  I continue to pray for breakthrough for him.

I have had several rough days this week. :(  I continue to ask the Lord for strength and healing too.

I read a verse this week that caught my attention:  "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."  Jeremiah 6:16

I've been reflecting on the "ancient paths" in my life.  My mom, my Aunt Lillian, Floyd's parents and grandparents were all ones who set an example for us.  They led the way.  They showed us how to go.  They taught us, they mentored us, and they proclaimed the "good way."  I am so very grateful for their influence in our lives.

In our current pandemic world - with a lot of chaos and confusion swirling around us, it is more important than ever to look to the ancient way, the good way.  That is the only way we will find the rest we need for our souls.  We can only do that as we keep our eyes on the Lord, stay tucked in close to Him, and trust Him with all our hearts.

As our unexpected journey continues on, I am keenly aware that I couldn't make it if I hadn't been shown the "ancient path" - the way of the Lord - through it.  He has been my Rock, my Refuge, my strength, my help, my sufficiency, my courage, my provider, my daily source of grace.  The ancient ways of the Lord are a "good way" to walk.  These ways, this path, is where I have found the rest that my soul needs.

When I hit the rough spots in life, it's so important to remember that God is good.  Whatever I'm going through, God hasn't changed - the ancient way is still the same.  I  have to keep my eyes on Him, not on the disturbing events around me.  I have to trust Him for however long the journey continues.  We live in an "instant world."  I think all of us want things to be over quickly, but God doesn't look at it the same way we do.  He knows our times and seasons.  He is sovereign in our lives.  He is working for good in each and every situation we face.  Whether I understand, whether I'm strong or weary, whatever happens - I resolve to trust Him with all my heart, because that's where my true rest can be found.

"Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.  Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.  For my yoke is easy and my burden is light."   Matthew 11:28-30

"How blessed is everyone who fears the Lord, who walks in His ways."  Psalm 128:1

"He knows the way I take; when He has tried me, I shall come forth as gold."  Job 23:10

"He has shown you, O man, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you but to do justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God?"  Micah 6:8

As we follow the ancient paths, the good ways - there is rest for any situation we're facing because He is our help and guide.

The friend who helps manage the FaceBook Prayer page sends me the responses to each update.  I am always blessed and encouraged by the messages of love and support.  Someone wrote recently that God has used what I have written to prepare her heart for unexpected difficulty and suffering that she may encounter in the future.  She wrote that often when something surprising happens the first response is denial......we may think "why is this happening to me?"  The denial can actually freeze us and keep us from responding appropriately.

This got me thinking.  She's right!  We need to prepare our hearts for the unexpected - a trial, a disappointment, an illness, a loss......we need to be ready to face it.  We can, very simply, turn TO God or AWAY from Him by our response.  We may not even mean to turn away from Him, but if we aren't purposefully turning to Him - that's what we're doing.  We need to determine ahead of time, before we face something, that we will choose to turn our hearts to the Lord.  We need to get ready!  We can't make it in our own strength.  We need Him!  

I've written about it before, but this brought to mind again the beauty of "kintsukuroi" (also known as kintsugi) pottery in Japan.  It's the art of repairing broken pottery with gold.  The piece becomes more beautiful and more valuable because of the repair work that has been done.  

When we go through hard times we often feel broken.  Life itself can feel shattered and in pieces.  But we serve a God who picks up the pieces, pours the "gold" of His love into our lives, and redeems the pain turning it into beauty.  We can't do this ourselves, but the Master Potter can!  The hard time is not the end!  God uses the difficulty to make us more like Him with His gold repair work in our lives. The piece of pottery is beautiful....more so for the gold worked into it.  In the same way our lives become more beautiful as we allow Him to work in our suffering. 

"Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to Him, and He will make your paths straight."  Proverbs 3:5,6

"Those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength.  They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint."  Isaiah 40:31

"With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible."  Matthew 19:26

"Count it all joy when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness."  James 1:2,3

"Because he holds fast to me in love, I will deliver him; I will protect him, because he knows my name.  When he calls to me, I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble; I will rescue him and honor him."  Psalm 91:14,15

When sharing with a friend this week, I was reminded of the words to an old song we sang in church when I was growing up:

"It will be worth it all when we see Jesus.

Life's trials will seem so small when we see Him.

One glimpse of His dear face,

All sorrow will erase.

So bravely run the race

Till we see Christ."

Everything we go through is worship to Jesus.  :)  And He gives us the grace to make it through!  When we turn our hearts to Him in the hard times, He puts the pieces of our broken hearts back together with His loving oil of healing.  He doesn't reject us or throw us away in our brokenness.  He pours "gold" into the heartache and redeems beauty from the ashes.  We can become strong in our broken places.  How good He is!