The Good Way
“Thus saith the LORD, Stand ye in the ways, and see, and ask for the old paths, where is the good way, and walk therein, and ye shall find rest for your souls." Jer. 6:16.
“Walk and find rest?" Seems like a contradiction. It’s like saying, "Close your eyes and see." Walking and rest, aren’t they opposites? Isn’t one movement and the other stillness? Yes, in the world of time and sense.
When we speak of a body being at rest, we say it is motionless. But when we say that a soul is at rest, it’s full of movement. The believing soul never begins to walk until it is at rest.
What is a restless soul? It’s one who is incapacitated, unable to focus. Mental unrest is soulish inactivity. A restless mind is a mind that can’t walk in the good old way. It’s paralyzed. A restless heart is a heart that cannot be loved. A restless will is a will that cannot be decided. Only when the soul has begun to "lie down in green pastures" can it walk paths of righteousness. It does not say, "Walk, and you will get rest"; it is, "Walk, and you will find rest." The rest is there already. It simply waits to be revealed. This, you will discover only by walking. Walking in His Word, in the Old Paths of His Testimony. You will learn peace by movement in Christ, calm will come by walking, strength by weakness, and rest by running.
Lord, nothing but walking in Thy ways will give me rest. I am easily wearied from without when I have no rest within. I move with heavy feet when my heart is still. But I have found the secret now. Thy movement came first—before the walking and the climbing. It was Thy movement that made the climbing possible, it was Christ's working that made the yoke easy and the burden light. Be mine, O Lord! I, too, have steps to climb and crosses to carry; send me rest for my heart while walking. I have heard men say, "After darkness, light"; but I would have light in my darkness. I could not go to Gethsemane without peace, Thy peace, in my soul. Then I will have Divine communion as I go. I desire to be warmed by Christ's sympathies. As I go. Not as the world gives, give Thy peace to me! The world gives its peace to exhaustion; give me Thy peace walking. The world gives its peace as a rest; Christ gives me peace as I walk in the good way.