Jeremiah 6:16 “Thus says the Lord:
‘Stand by the roads, and look,
And ask for the ancient paths,
Where the good way is; and walk in it.
And find rest for your souls.’”
Flip on the TV or turn on the radio and you will soon hear why you need some new contraption to improve your life. The catch phrases don’t change: “New and Improved!” “Preferred by 9 out of 10 doctors.” “We won’t be undersold!”
In his book, “Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Holiness,” Dan Estes writes: “Sometimes new is better, but many times we are better off to stay with the tried and true. Of course, some people seem to change just for the novelty of change, while others of us refuse even to consider changes. We need the ability to evaluate the claims and make wise decisions.”
What if the new way isn’t a better way? What if the better way is the only way? What if the only way looks tired and dingy and not sparkly? Does it really matter?
It most certainly does matter. I love Jeremiah’s statement: “Ask for the ancient paths.” There is truth to this statement when the world continues to tell us that fulfillment is always found in the next big thing.
So many people are looking for absolute truth and are led to believe it can be found in new ideas. (Actually nothing is new under the sun. It just has a fresh coat of paint on it.) Where, you ask, is absolute truth? It is found in these simple words of John 14:6 on this clear path: “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.”
Honestly, this is not new. These words have been around for almost 2,000 years. People have come and people have gone, yet these words have stayed since Jesus spoke them.
Have you tried all the new stuff? Are you tired of grabbing at every new gadget that comes along? Then try this: Consider the ancient truths spoken by God in the form of man.
Remember, newer isn’t always better.