For Those Walking the Ancient Path: Devotional Sharing

This morning, as I prayed Morning Prayer, I read two passages of Scripture that struck me.  They struck me enough that I quoted both on my Facebook profile. 

The first was the Psalm I read today: Psalm 139, and in particular verses 23-24.  In the New Revised Standard Version the Psalm reads, "Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my thoughts.  See if there s any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting."

I also read in Jeremiah.  There, the verse that stood out to me was the 16th verse of chapter 6: "Thus says the LORD: Stand at the crossroads, and look, and ask for the ancient paths, where the good way lies; and walk in it, and find rest for your souls."

Now, it may seem obvious why the latter verse would stand out to me.  After all, I think of myself as one who tries, by the grace of God, to walk in the "Ancient Path."  This blog and the Wesleyan-Anglican Society are expressions of that call back to the ancient path.  More specifically is the call to what the late Robert Webber has called "Ancient-Future" worship.

Recent conversations I have had with others have proven to be difficult.  They have caused me some struggles, and these passages in my prayers this morning have been very helpful, comforting and affirming for me.

Following the morning Office, I continued my personal prayers and went to re-read and re-pray those verses from the 139th Psalm.  What I noticed in the footnotes of my NRSV was that the part that says, "and lead me in the way everlasting," can be rendered "and lead me in the ancient way!"  Further, the footnoted said to compare it with Jeremiah 6:16, the very passage that I had also read, this morning!

Now, I readily confess, I do not have anything Hebrew or any commentaries on hand to check out the suggested translation (they are in my other study).  However, I found new insight into the familiar verses of the Psalm, and I found these passages to be (as I said) very helpful, comforting and affirming.

My prayer is that my sharing this may be helpful, comforting and affirming to other sisters and brothers who, like me, are seeking to follow Christ on the Ancient Path by the grace of God and in the power of the Holy Spirit.  -   To God be the glory!