KEEP LOOKING AHEAD ……… TOWARDS THE BRIDGE OF FAITH!

 

 “Men are building too many walls and not enough bridges”.

 

…. and wisdom comes quietly ….

I had this image of a bridge, how beautiful and majestic it can get! Yes, certainly it is true that God is faithful and that plank by plank He has built many good reasons for me to forego situations that create walls around me, and yet many times I land up becoming my own ‘building contractor’ by running to tomorrow’s concerns.  And here I go again! …. Bend out of shape over the nick of the wood I just crossed yesterday!  It’s never too late to look back and see the bridge for what it was …. a path for me to recognize and change. Remember, God is faithful and is still waiting.

Sharing thoughts about walls and bridges ….. in a glimpse of the eye, it is obvious that we cannot see far beyond when a wall stands right in front of us and on the contrary a bridge allows us to capture a connection far beyond our imagination. Indeed, walls are usually built to separate two or more entities physically, mentally, or even spiritually and to create obstacles. They are built because they represent the idea of defense, protection, or separation. Some walls have acquired fame because of that nature: the walls of Jerusalem, the Great Wall of China, the Wall of Berlin. Walls, as a symbol, are also used in our common vocabulary to reflect this idea of separation, as in “a wall of incomprehension,” “a wall of intolerance“ or “it is like talking to a brick wall!”

Bridges are the opposite of walls. Bridges are built to bring together, to join two or more entities, and to create unity. They are built to overcome obstacles. Some bridges have also become famous, like the Bridge of Sighs, the Allenby Bridge, and so many others. The term is also used in our language to express the idea of reunion or unity, as in “to bridge a gap” or “to bridge differences.”

How do we build such a bridge of faith?

There was a young man living in a city called Namur in Belgium, there flow a large river separating it from an adjacent city on the other side of the river. At that time, only one bridge connected the two cities. It had been built and rebuilt over the remnants of a bridge built centuries before by the Roman conquerors. It had become too narrow for the traffic, and there were too many small arches to allow the passage of large boats and barges. A new bridge was necessary, wider and with only one arch. The work to establish the foundations soon started on both sides of the river. Rapidly, two huge metallic arms began to stretch from each side with the aim to meet together in the middle of the river. He was fascinated by the engineering and rode his bicycle almost every day to watch the progress of the work. Finally the day came when the centerpiece, a cornerstone made of steel, was going to link the two arms together. Crowds were now watching with him the delicate operation, the final step that would join the two arms together and permit crossing the bridge for the first time. When it took place, people applauded, workers embraced; the obstacle of the river had been conquered and overcome.

Bridging the gap is one of the greatest blessings to life. It builds bridges instead of walls. It finds ways to healing instead of hurt. It seeks ways to build instead of tear down. It looks for ways to encourage instead of disappoint. Bridging the gap reaches out to rise above. It mellows hardness, bends stiffness, warms coldness and smoothens roughness. It is simply, by using this metaphor, to help us build a bridge of faith in our life for crossing and overcoming the walls of unbelief, indifference, fear and other strongholds.

In today’s world, it is so easy to isolate ourselves by erecting temporal, spiritual, and even family or religious walls. Let us instead build more bridges of faith, of reconciliation, and live by the peace that is given “not as the world gives” (John 14:27), but by God. He is the bridge of faith unto eternity.

“Let us all walk uprightly before God” and cross the bridge and no turning back!