Ask for the Ancient Paths

A thought on Jeremiah 6:16

Photo by Zainal Permadi on Unsplash

Dear reader,

I’ve recently got back into the One Year Bible reading plan. A number of days ago it was in Jeremiah chapter 6. Verse 16 caught my attention and has lingered with me ever since.

Thus says the LORD:
“Stand by the roads, and look,
and ask for the ancient paths,
where the good way is;
and walk in it,
and find rest for your souls.”
(ESV)

It has a rhythm to it. It’s wonderfully poetic. That aspect of scripture - the rhythm and poetry - is an important part of getting to know it. The poetry and rhythm of some of the ancient scriptures of the Bible provide an experience. That experience helps us understand it. Reading scripture is not simply a cognitive exercise, it is experiential. It is to be read allowed, heard, often chanted, contemplated, and discussed.

If we can catch the rhythm, sometimes the nature of the content will cause us to read faster or slower. The pace of our heart will move with it. The rhythm might also call us back to take another pass over it. That’s what this small piece within a larger prophetic section of poetry did for me. The words and imagery called me back.