Bridges

I’ve been thinking lately about bridges. We have so many from Northern Kentucky to Cincinnati, and I love crossing the Ohio River. (“Ohio” is from an Indian word, but some Japanese visitors once told me it means “beautiful” in Japanese. I like that.)

We have many expressions that include the word “bridge,” but I can’t even find the word in the Bible. Nevertheless, our bridge expressions often support Bible truths. “Cross that bridge when I come to it” is reminiscent of Jesus’ admonition in Matthew 6: 25-34, which ends: “Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.”

Jesus himself is our “bridge over troubled waters.” He’s the one that “bridges the gap” between us and the Father.

We know not to “burn our bridges” in our relationships with others. In Matthew 18: 15-20, he even gives specific advice about restoring relationships. 

When I was young, a popular song by Patti Page was “Cross Over the Bridge.” The gist of the the message was a romantic one, but a spiritual one as well, as you can see in the chorus: “Cross over the bridge! Cross over the bridge! Leave your fickle past behind you, and true romance will find you–Brother, cross over the bridge.”

That’s what people who are influenced by believers do every day–cross over into a life for Christ, just as our friend Eric did on Sunday.

A recent Facebook post from Ann, who was baptized at Central several years ago and moved away soon after. sums it up: “I was baptized with my husband after living a typical, worldly life for 25 years. The Christian life is so much better!”

The Christian life is filled with bridges. I just want to be aware of when I need to cross over a bridge–or bridge the gap for someone else who needs to know Jesus.