Bridge Over Troubled Waters

A bridge can be a lifeline. Battles have been fought over bridges. Those who have control or access to a bridge can move to safety or bring across needed forces for victory. History, books, and movies have commemorated strategic bridges. Some bridges, like the covered bridge, have been romanticized, immortalized, and enrolled as historic landmarks.

A world relief organization built a bridge over a high and dangerous gorge. For years the village women and children would have to walk four hours to obtain water and carry it back because a wide and deep gorge separated the village from the closest source of water. When a bridge was built over the gorge it eased the burden on the women and allowed the children to receive schooling with the many hours saved each day.

In a vivid dream I saw a raging fire burning across the prairie. Terrified people were running for their lives as the all consuming fire pursued them. The throng of people came to a wide chasm. Below was a raging river and behind them was the searing inferno. Their only way to safety was a wooden bridge erected across the dangerous chasm years before by a king whose kingdom was across the river.

Surprisingly, as many came to the chasm and encountered the wooden bridge, they hesitated and were consumed by the fire. Perhaps they didn’t trust the soundness of the structure. Others flung themselves into the raging river below and were dashed to pieces on the rocks or drowned by the swirling waters. Perhaps, for some reason, they hated the king who built the bridge so much that they would rather abandon their only hope to life.

The spreading fire finally reached the old wooden bridge and consumed it. But those who made it across the deep, wide chasm over the old wooden bridge came back to remember and celebrate the kindness of the king who had provided the bridge. The king soon erected a new bridge made of costly, precious stones.

One of my favorite songs has been “Bridge Over Troubled Water” by Paul Simon of Simon and Garfunkel. Even though the song was not originally intended to be a gospel song, each time I hear it I think of Jesus as the bridge over the troubled waters of life. It is still played and sung by many Christian artists as a powerful depiction of how Jesus is the bridge over the troubled waters of life.

Jesus, when speaking to Thomas about heaven and eternal life, said, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me” (John 14:6). Yes, Jesus is the WAY to eternal life and safety and peace over troubled raging waters. The devil is doing all he can in these last days to distort the truth about Jesus and to deceive multitudes who stand on the precipice of death and destruction.

Jesus proved that He is who He claimed to be – the Son of God – not only by His miracles but by rising from the dead on the third day just as He said that He would.

Sadly, like that wooden bridge in my dream, many will not flee to the other side through Jesus. He is “the Way, the Truth, and the Life”. Paul, the apostle, exclaimed, “How shall we escape if we neglect so great a salvation” (Hebrews 2:3). If people only knew and believed in the kindness and mercy of the king and the sacrifice of Jesus on the cross for our sins, surely they would not hesitate or refuse the bridge and be consumed by the fire of judgment. If they only realized the beauty and wonders of the land across the river, they would cross the bridge over the troubled waters.

The Word of God tells us that, “There is no judgment awaiting those who trust Him. But those who do not trust Him have already been judged for not believing in the only Son of God. Their judgment is based on this fact: the light from heaven came into the world, but they loved darkness more than the light, for their actions were evil” (John 3:18-19 NLT).

Jesus is the Bridge Over Troubled Waters. You can cross to safety and eternal life through him today.

A - Admit you have sinned. “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” (Romans 3:23)

B - Believe in Jesus. “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.” (John 3:16)

C - Confess and leave your sin. “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.” (1 John 1:9)