AT THE CROSSROADS

A new year is upon us! Every person goes through crossroads in his life; the passing of a year and the dawn of a new one is temporal crossroad, where taking stock of one’s life is a worthwhile endeavor. Jeremiah, the prophet elaborates,

“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

What does it mean to meaningfully go through a crossroad in life? First, look! Time as a concept is both compartmentalized and continuous. The past, present and future merge into one, yet we are able to compartmentalize time in terms of days, weeks, months and years. Looking at each day as a new beginning and considering each year as a new one helps one to evaluate his life, appreciate what is and move toward what is better.

Next look back and discern what the good way is. When you look back and evaluate, there is the good, the bad and the ugly. Ancient paths that are time-tested and backed by the uncompromising goodness of God’s words and his laws provide guidance to an earnest seeker.

Evaluation makes sense only if it is backed by a decision to walk in it. This is where new-year resolutions come into play. If the new-year is to be better, then decide to weed out the bad and the ugly and walk in the good way. Easier said than done as man’s inborn enslavement to sin prevents him from adopting the good while he naturally gravitates toward what is bad. But what is impossible by human effort is made possible with God’s help. He makes it possible to break the enslavement to sin by the blood of Jesus shed on the cross for all of humanity. To one who believes in that precious truth, a new life is possible.

What follows is a finding of rest for the soul. Contrast a boat securely anchored to the dock to one that has no anchor and floats at the mercy of the wind and the waves. The difference between a restless person and one who has found rest is huge. Restlessness within leads to confusion, fear, insecurity and paranoia. A rested soul anchored to the eternal God, is the desirable end result of an evaluation done at the crossroads.

May Isaiah’s words make your new year a blessed one,

“Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past.

See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it?

I am making a way in the desert and streams in the wasteland.”

Isaiah 43:18,19.

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