Since Mark’s sermon on Jeremiah 6:16 (The Dream Cross Code), I have been thinking a lot about signposts. A crossroads without signposts isn’t much use: how do you know which way you’re supposed to take if there are no signposts?! And some signs aren’t that helpful at all. This one in France always makes me smile (one arrow points one way proclaiming ‘all directions’ whilst the other points in the opposite direction proclaiming ‘other directions’!):
At the National Railway Museum in York yesterday, one of the new exhibits is a ‘typical’ railway signpost with some decidedly untypical signs!
In case you can’t read the signs, they say:
* ‘Late again, miss the train’
* ‘Single or return?’
* ‘I left it on the 3.15’
* ‘One last kiss goodbye’
* ‘Bustle and confusion’
I’m not sure those signs would be terribly helpful at a train station, but Psalm 119 has some other useful advice about signs: “How can a young person live a clean life? By carefully reading the map of your Word. I’m single-minded in pursuit of you; don’t let me miss the road signs you’ve posted.” (Ps 119:9) Another verse from that psalm says “Barricade the road that goes Nowhere; grace me with your clear revelation. I choose the true road to Somewhere, I post your road signs at every curve and corner.”
When we are at the crossroads, we can know that God will give us the signposts we need to make wise choices and that there is grace available for us to walk in His ways. The people of Israel did not make a wise choice according to Jeremiah: “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. But you said, ‘We will not walk in it.’” (Jer 6:16) They refused to take the right path and refused to listen to God (see also verse 17). God’s warning to the church at Laodicea, as to all the churches mentioned in Revelation 2 and 3, is ‘Whoever has ears, let them hear what the Spirit says to the churches.’ (Rev 3:22) We need to be grateful for the road signs and signposts that God gives us and we need to heed what He says to us. There is no substitute for obedience.