Old Paths ... the Wayfarer 10/1/16

Old Paths
10/1/16

Jeremiah 6:16

King James Version (KJV)

¹⁶ Thus saith the Lord, Stand ye in the ways, and see, and ask for the old paths, where is the good way, and walk therein, and ye shall find rest for your souls. But they said, We will not walk therein.

Old paths, clearly marked, well defined and easy to follow despite their lack of paving, despite their width, (far less than those more recently built), are being abandoned recklessly for those more appealing that present detour after detour along the way, as maps are replaced by the innovation of GPS systems and devices, that, too often, lead to dependence upon those devices and inability to comprehend the availability of tried and true methods proven over centuries despite their lack of battery power, that dependability assured, even when that battery power fails.

The same holds true for far more than those devices that guide travel on a planet being paved, as those old paths become narrower and more difficult to traverse, destinations changed, unnoticed and unseen by eyes choosing not to look at that change of destination.

Children are now reliant upon devices not even in existence when their parents began the education process, helpless without the computers and calculators developed by those parents and grandparents, having no clue of how to react to power failure, or the failure of a device to connect to the WI-FI used by those devices to complete the simplest of tasks included in the homework given them, that also, sadly has deserted the old, tried and true paths that require the use of God given intellect and simple tools used by their predecessors.

Communication advances to the point that even the use of the language has deserted those old paths. Written word, and the beauty of the writing that preserves that word not even being taught, deserted for the technological advances.

The importance of language itself is compromised as words holding specific, unmistakable meaning are replaced by the lexicon of slang and subculture, that somehow are less offensive to the hearer… less offensive also because of the desertion of the old paths that required comprehension of the true meaning of those very words being replaced.

Armies rely on technology to defend themselves, that technology only dependable until its inevitable failure occurs, leaving them defenseless.

Hidden from all is the truth of the fragility of  that technology, and the facts of its inherent weakness, so evident for any who has walked the old paths, and known the means of survival without the “benefit” of that technology produced by the same fallibility of its creators.

  Hidden also is the ability of others to use that same technology to misdirect and change the information given by that technology for their own benefit, change the outcome of battles fought, as intended by those making the changes.

That same technology applied to the crops that feed us has too often led to crops that poison us instead as the fallible fail to look to the consequences of their attempts to overcome the natural technology implemented by an infallible Creator.

Each advance leads to dependence on that advance, and rejection of what is true and proven throughout the meager history of man, a history that remains an unlearned lesson of man’s vanity, the futility of his wisdom when those old paths are abandoned for those constructed by him.

In short, the paths being chosen remain the same one chosen when Adam and his spouse chose the fruit of the tree of knowledge of good and evil over the fruit of the tree of life, chose their own path instead of that provided them which still leads to the same destination chosen by them instead of that intended for them by God.

That path led to the place inhabited by Noah, a place where mankind’s vanity prompted the necessity of a new beginning, and an end to that path that was unseen and unrecognized, and unbelieved to exist by all but the few salvaged by the grace found through faith and obedience to the path given  by that infallible Creator.

The words spoken by God, then, echo ever more poignantly today, as that same path rapidly approaches the same point faced by a people who refuse to acknowledge that path.

 Genesis 6:1-7

King James Version (KJV)

6 And it came to pass, when men began to multiply on the face of the earth, and daughters were born unto them,

² That the sons of God saw the daughters of men that they were fair; and they took them wives of all which they chose.

³ And the Lord said, My spirit shall not always strive with man, for that he also is flesh: yet his days shall be an hundred and twenty years.

⁴ There were giants in the earth in those days; and also after that, when the sons of God came in unto the daughters of men, and they bare children to them, the same became mighty men which were of old, men of renown.

⁵ And God saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.

⁶ And it repented the Lord that he had made man on the earth, and it grieved him at his heart.

⁷ And the Lord said, I will destroy man whom I have created from the face of the earth; both man, and beast, and the creeping thing, and the fowls of the air; for it repenteth me that I have made them.

Other, more recent words also come to mind, preserved by the very methods being deserted, as those words are ignored by those who choose to desert those old paths for their own broad pavements.

Matthew 24:37-39

King James Version (KJV)

³⁷ But as the days of Noah were, so shall also the coming of the Son of man be.

³⁸ For as in the days that were before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noe entered into the ark,

³⁹ And knew not until the flood came, and took them all away; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be.

Old paths, clearly marked and defined remain available despite the overgrowth that attempts to choke them out.

Matthew 7:13-14

King James Version (KJV)

¹³ Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat:

¹⁴ Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.

As the new and broad paths and ways present themselves, consideration must be given to destination, options considered, choice made with comprehension of just where each path leads.

John 14:1-6

King James Version (KJV)

14 Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me.

² In my Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you.

³ And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.

⁴ And whither I go ye know, and the way ye know.

⁵ Thomas saith unto him, Lord, we know not whither thou goest; and how can we know the way?

⁶ Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.

There still remains only a single path to our intended destination, a single WAY, a single TRUTH that leads to the intended LIFE!

No matter how progressed we may become, no matter how greatly our vanity professes our own paths, those paths cannot lead to any other destination that that which Adam chose.

All paths come to an end. All journeys begin with a single step, and are taken with many along the path chosen.

I choose the old paths, the old Way, the TRUTH given of the choice of destination.

That choice needs to be presented despite those who rail against it, it is far too important not to be known as remaining available to all.

What choice have you made, and what choice are you presenting to those met along the way?

Are they even aware of the choices available, or are those choices being withheld from them by those who refuse to see the truth of their own choice, and the consequences of that choice?

Each day draws us one day closer to the day when the choices made are finalized.

Technology and progress will meet with the infallibility of One far more progressed than mankind is capable of comprehending.

2 Timothy 1:12King James Version (KJV)

¹² For the which cause I also suffer these things: nevertheless I am not ashamed: for I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him against that day.

Amen and Amen

 the Wayfarer