Jeremiah 6:16-17 – Our destiny lies in the choice we make.

Imagine a scenario where you are caught in a maze and at a loss as to what you ought to do next. You have lost all direction and are totally disoriented. Bewildered, you kept going around and round helplessly, wondering how to get out of the maze. Every turn you make seems to lead to another dead end. It would not be wrong to say that at this point what you need is an indicator or a marker to help you get back in the right direction. The people of Judah were in such a predicament. They were at a crossroads and wondering how to get out of the predicament. They needed a landmark to move out of their predicament. So Jeremiah in chapter 6 verses 16-17, gave them one.  He said to them:

Thus says the Lord,
“Stand by the ways and see and ask for the ancient paths,
Where the good way is, and walk in it;
And you will find rest for your souls.
But they said, ‘We will not walk in it.’
“And I set watchmen over you, saying,
‘Listen to the sound of the trumpet!’
But they said, ‘We will not listen.’

Jeremiah was literally calling on them to return to the known and proven paths of the past. The only way to get out of the maze of problems was to return and be faithful to God. The people had adamantly chosen not to follow the ways prescribed in God’s commandments and law. In Jeremiah’s urging, we get a sense of how far they had stayed and drifted away from God's prescribed way for them. He was calling on them to review what God had prescribed for them, to align and return to that path of obedience. For they had been ignoring the warning of God’s sent watchmen refusing to listen to them.

In Jeremiah’s call we sense the call of God is for us to walk the straight and narrow way, the ancient path. But we are living in an enticing world. It is difficult to resist the temptation to want to keep up with the Jones. There are so many offers in the world for a better life. We are spoiled for choice. And we can choose the road to glory or the fool’s highway. Where we will end is determined by our choices. Our destiny lies in the choice we make. Choose wisely!