As I stood on the end of the Kinzua State Park Bridge in the Allegheny Forest in Pennsylvania, I remembered the importance of what the Lord had spoken to me years ago saying, “Be a bridge!”
Standing close to the railing, looking down beneath, I saw the structure that had held the bridge up, had fallen, crumbled, and broken apart. This man-made structure split in half when a tornado had ripped it apart, in 2003, breaking its connection from one mountain to another. A storm had destroyed its construction, had shattered its purpose to connect.
What structure in our life has been destroyed or crumbled? Did a storm of life cause you to crash and fall? When the stock market drops, does it feel like your world is crumbling around you?
As a follower of Jesus, we are created to be a bridge, as Jesus is a bridge between man and God. Look for those opportunities, they are all around us.
I have an old Evangelistic “tract” that we used to pass out showing man on one side and God on the other. In the gap is the cross that is the connector.
Well, God, in His humor, brought this tract to my attention, as I was grabbing a Bible for church, one morning. It was stuck right in the middle. I was cleaning out a few papers inside, not wanting to bring them with me, and “voila” this tract was on the top surface of the papers. The name on the front of it is “Bridge To Life.” Really, I hadn’t seen this tract in years.
Mankind does need to be connected to the other side, the side of eternity, to the place where we are destined to go when we die and pass from this earth. There is only ONE WAY that will connect you to the other side, His name is Jesus. He is our connection. He is our bridge. He is our path, our way.
I guess those old-time tracts do work! It worked for me when God had me read it this morning, confirming He is the bridge. I love His humor and how He speaks.
As I stood on the bridge, clouds were darkening and a storm was brewing. The clouds were encircling us, and as the winds began to blow, the God of Thunder began to strike–and I ran!
There was a young couple on the bridge insistent on capturing, with their camera, the lighting strikes coming from within the dark clouds. I saw their stupidity, I mean, diligence, as I was running past them. I was running for safety where my feet could be on dry, solid ground.
The hair on the top of my head was standing straight up, literally, from the electricity that was in the air, because of the lighting that was close. All the women had “electric hair.” Not sure why the men were not affected. I’m still asking the Lord about this one! Maybe their hair was too short?
It did make me chuckle as I was running by these “electric women”, as they were still snapping pictures of the black, thick clouds that were closing in on us. When I reached the beginning of the bridge, there were a few folks running into the storm, into the electricity, into the dark clouds and wind, not even realizing they were in danger.
Instead of minding my own business, I yelled to them saying, “You don’t want to go out there now. Turn back! Some didn’t listen nor heed the warning.” The Ranger ran out to corral them.
Why would anyone purposely walk into the darkness on a metal bridge in the middle of a lightning storm? Why do we walk into things that ultimately could harm us? That’s a question that still rings in the heart of the Father. Curiosity killed the cat!
It was clear to me, looking at the destruction below, that the man-made pillars had fallen. These pillars were constructed to hold everything up. In one very strong wind, of 100 miles an hour, it fell.
While in reflection, I recalled the words of my Jesus saying, “Be a connector, be a bridge. Many still need to cross over. Many lives have been cut off and have fallen away, looking to reach the other side, yet never made it. Man-made forms and structures will not sustain them.”
Once we reach our final destination from this earth, we cannot go back and relive our life again. Make the choice now, to follow Christ, if you haven’t.
There is a parable in the Bible that shows us the final destination of two men. One was a selfish rich man, full of himself, who lived in luxury every day and didn’t share with anyone. Outside of the gate of his mansion was another man, a beggar named Lazarus. (This is not the man whom Jesus raised from the dead). Lazarus was covered in sores and boils. The only food he had to eat was the garbage that the rich man threw away.
The rich man never saw what was on his doorstep. His eyes were on himself and what he had accumulated.
I want to insert a disclaimer here: It is not wrong to acquire wealth. It’s not what we have, it’s what has us! The Lord knows our hearts and what’s important to us.
One day this poor man died and the angels of God escorted him into heaven. When the day came for the rich man to die, “In hell he looked up from his torment and saw Abraham in the distance and Lazarus, the beggar, was standing beside him in glory.
The rich man shouted, “Father Abraham! Father Abraham! Have mercy on me. Send Lazarus to dip his finger in water and come to cool my tongue, for I am in agony in these flames of fire!” Luke 16: 23 -24
“Abraham responded, “Lazarus is in the comforts of paradise and you are in agony. Besides, between us is a huge chasm that cannot be bridged, keeping anyone from crossing from one realm to the other, even if he wanted to.” Luke 16: 26
Yesterday, standing on that bridge, I saw and felt the reality of never being able to cross over. I saw a bridge that had been destroyed and broken, that once had the capacity to reach the other side, now not able. I felt the fury of powerful thunder crashing and saw the effects of electricity near me.
The man in the parable, who was in the torment of hell, was crying out wanting to go to the other side, the side of paradise without the torment. He wanted someone to help him, but it was too late. He finally saw the gap between heaven and hell.
He had made a choice that affected him for all of eternity–A choice, a lifestyle of luxury without seeing the need that was right in front of him. He didn’t see his need for a Savior to save him from eternal damnation.
Two thousand years ago, Jesus came, died on a cross at Calvary, to be that bridge from this life, to our eternity into Heaven. There is no other way to cross over from death to life. He is the “Bridge To Life.” His heart is broken when people fall and never make it.
The structure that had been built could not produce “the way” for others to cross over. The only way to cross over is by “The Way” our “Bridge,” His name is Jesus Christ!
I looked up the definition of the word “bridge” and it said, “A structure carrying a road, a path, or a railroad across.”
Today, make that choice by allowing Jesus Christ, to be your Lord and Savior, to be that bridge, to be the way into your eternal home one day, your final destination. Just talk with Him. He is listening and wants a relationship.
He has said, “I AM the way, the truth, and the life, no one comes to the Father except through me.” John 14: 6
This is an updated edition of a post originally published on My Beloved’s Voice
KINGDOM ASSURANCE
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