Jeremiah 6:16
This is what the Lord says. Stand at the crossroads and look. Ask about the ancient paths. Ask where the good road is. Walk in it, and you will find rest for your souls.
Dear Heavenly Father,
As we stand at that crossroads today, one is a well-traveled road like a multilane freeway, and the other is an overgrown ancient path. The highway seems so enticing; we might even hear others say, “It’s okay; everyone is going that way.” The problem is that while the road might look impressive, that way leads to eternal destruction—to hell, for all the loveless things the world likes to condone that contradict your word. The worst part is when we go that way, we, too, know it’s wrong because our conscience jabs at us, shouting at us that what we have done was wrong; then comes the shame for those things we have done and our mind wants to play them on repeat. All this is the way of that super highway.
We thank you for the ancient path; it’s not something we can decide through human reasoning because our logic always rejects it. This way only comes to us through Your Word and sacrament. For this reason, you sent your Holy Spirit to guide us, your believers, along that ancient path. We are led by faith, knowing your Son, Jesus. He suffered upon the cross to pay the entrance price: he gave his life in our place for our sins. One can only enter the ancient path by perfection; Jesus has covered us with his perfect righteousness. By faith in Jesus, we enter and are led along the way, and it seems we are carried at times. With Jesus’ forgiveness, every sin is removed, and we no longer need to hold on to guilt and shame. So we pray that you will be with us to forgive ourselves for what we have done and remove our buyer’s remorse for when we bought the world’s lies about that dreadful highway. It is in forgiveness that we have rest for our souls.
We also ask that we share the good news of your forgiveness with others, pointing them to their entrance ticket, Jesus. Allow your Holy Spirit to begin faith in them and lead them along that ancient path of your love and forgiveness, which leads to eternal rest in heaven. Amen.
Written through Pastor Roger Emmons
Consider this: everyone seeks rest for the soul as they traverse the world. However, rest is found only in God’s forgiveness by knowing, trusting, and believing that Jesus forgave all your sins.