Bridges

Fathers make known to children your faithfulness. Isaiah 38:19

Every scribe who has been trained for the kingdom of heaven is like the master of a household who brings out of his treasure what is new and what is old. Matthew 13:52


REFLECTION:
Not far from the town in which I grew up stands the Hoover Dam. At the time of its completion in 1935, it was the largest concrete structure built in the United States. It created Lake Mead, controls the flow of the great Colorado river, and produces electricity for parts of Arizona, Nevada, and California. It is an awesome structure.


Until 2010, US Highway 93 ran across the top of the dam. I remember driving over the dam on road trips with my family many, many times as a child. However, in the desert where there are only a couple of routes to get anywhere, the traffic flow grew to an unsustainable point on Highway 93, and another bridge was needed. The picture included with this devotion is of the Hoover Dam Bypass bridge, an architectural feat in its own right. It was completed in 2010, and now the highway traffic crosses there instead. As you can imagine, it has greatly improved the speed and convenience of traffic through this area.

The scriptures today made me think of this bypass bridge.

I believe we are called to BE bridge people. With one foot firmly planted in modern society, and one foot firmly planted in the subversive power of the Kingdom of God, our entire job is to help bridge the gap between the two so it is easier for people to connect the two in their lives.

This begins at home, as the first passage makes clear. As I talk with Charissa and Lucas about world events, things happening at their schools, and things happening in our family, my humble prayer is that I am helping them bridge their everyday lives with the stuff I talk about every Sunday in church.

We have all heard the phrase "being so heavenly minded you are no earthly good." There are certainly some who seem to stand wholly on one bank; so immersed in the world of the Scriptures that they lose touch with what it is like to be a modern person. Likewise, many stand on the other bank; trapped in the cultural battles and daily grind. They can see the other side, where peace and forgiveness and truth seem to have power, but they need someone to help them get there.

This is where we come in, dear reader. Imitating Christ, the master bridge builder, our aim is that the values of heaven so infuse us that our lives can serve as a sort of bridge for those we know who see the other bank but just don't know how to get there; how to make the wisdom of the Bible applicable to their everyday lives.

So, today, if you feel like you need a bridge...if the peace, forgiveness, justice, or mercy you seek feel far away...may that be our prayer for you...that Christ be your bridge today.

On the other hand, if you are feeling centered today, touched by grace and mercy, our prayer will be that simply by being yourself God might use you as a bridge for someone else.


PRAYER:
Gracious God, we give thanks for the wisdom of your word that fills our minds and breathes life into our hearts. Lead us to know your way, so that our lives shine with the light of your love and presence. Amen.*

*Prayer taken from the Moravian Daily Texts