Bridges

I don't really like bridges. I'm not fearful of them, but I don't particularly like them. I still remember many nightmares that involved really high bridges that led to nowhere. I still recall a rickety drawbridge from my hometown and being afraid of that bridge until it was torn down in favor of new construction.

I don't fear bridges quite as much as I've grown older. Out of necessity, I've learned to tolerate bridges. Yet, even now when I'm sitting on a bridge full of traffic and a heavy truck goes across, I can feel the bridge shake and I wonder: Will the bridge fall down?

Bridges are actually very helpful. When I was a child, my father built a bridge in our back yard to span a creek that ran through the yard. It was a pretty little bridge that I dubbed "the lady bridge." Bridges allow me to easily cross over a river to visit my home state when I'm traveling. My path to work involves crossing over interstates on bridges. Bridges take me to my destination.

Bridges can be beautiful. Or scary.

Bridges can overlook some of the most beautiful scenery in the world. Or bridges can overlook a neglected neighborhood.

You just never know what you're going to get when you cross a bridge. The path along that bridge that can sometimes make us wonder when we'll ever get to the other side of the bridge--our destination. We need to have faith that the bridge will get us to our final destination.

Sometimes our spiritual journey is just like that. We are hoping and praying for a change in our circumstances. God begins to work in our lives and puts us on a new journey. Sometimes that journey takes us over a bridge. The journey may reveal some breathtaking moments. Or that journey may bring out our fears. Either way, God is with us on that journey. We must trust that God has us in the center of where we're supposed to be--even in the midst of fear. If we've asked for this journey of change, we need to trust God and lean on Him.

We can count on God to take us through these faith journeys. If we avoid the bridges, our journey may take a whole lot longer.

This reminds me of the account of Jesus and the disciples as they crossed the stormy lake in a boat. We may encounter some rough waters but Jesus will be there with us. Jesus asked them (us and me)...

“Why are you afraid? Do you still have no faith?”  (Mark 4:40b)

My faith verse for 2013 is...

Faith is the confidence that what we hope for will actually happen; 

it gives us assurance about things we cannot see (Hebrews 11:1).