02/20/2026
Richard shared this message with us Wednesday night after we ate a meal together.
There are a number of different verses in the Bible that describe our life as a walk with God down a path or road or way. One of my favorites is Jeremiah 6:16 where Jeremiah writes, “This is what the Lord says: ‘Stop at the crossroads and look around. Ask for the old Godly way, and walk in it. Travel its path, and you will find rest for your souls.’” Instead of, “Ask for the old Godly way” many translations say, “Ask for the ancient path.” That’s the path God has laid out since the beginning of this world for everyone in this world to walk down.
This is one of the verses I spend some time with at the beginning of each year. To me, it’s a kind of “get back to the basics, check and make sure you’re practicing the fundamentals” kind of verses. Because I know, and you do too, that we can wander off the path and get away from the way God wants us to live.
Does anyone know the longest chapter in the Bible? It’s Psalm 119. David, who earlier in his life wandered way off God’s path, tells again and again just how wonderful God’s way is. How God’s commands, teachings, and instructions are the best way to live. Here’s some verses:
Psalm 119:1-3 says, “Joyful are people of integrity, who follow the instructions of the Lord. Joyful are those who obey his laws and search for him with all their heart. They do not compromise with evil and they walk only in his paths.”
Verses 9-11: “How can those who are young keep their way pure? By living according to your word. I seek you with all my heart. Do not let me stray from your commands. I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you.”
Verse 52: “I remember, Lord, your ancient laws, and I find comfort in them.”
Verses 104-5: “Your guiding principles give me understanding and wisdom. That is why I hate every wrong way. Your word is a lamp to guide my feet and a light for my path.”
Verses 143-4: “As pressure and stress bear down on me, I find joy in your commands. Your laws are always right. Help me to understand them so that I may truly live.”
Verse 165: “Great peace have those who love your teachings and instructions. For nothing can make them stumble.”
So, I encourage all of us to check out make sure we’re on the right path because we can wander off it. The ancient way of God is where we find truth, wisdom, peace, hope, and purpose for our lives. And it’s also where we find that we are walking with the One who said, “I am the way, the truth, and the life.” Peace
