DEALING WITH BRIDGES

It all began when I sent a birthday card to a special friend with the encouragement printed on it: “Have faith in untraveled roads.” My friend was facing some potentially trying situations in the days ahead.

In fact, we all continually travel untraveled roads in our journeys of life. None of us knows what the future holds. Those of us who are “in Christ” must shoulder our backpack of God's promises and trek without fear but exercising our faith. When we meet the dangers and challenges of the road we will not be alone; Jesus is with us to meet whatever we encounter. 

The future is unknown to us but not to our Lord. Our Eternal God who is in the present moment is also in the future right now, He wants us to trust Him with what is to come. He has gone before us on that untraveled road and ordained each of our days: "In Thy book they were all written, the days that were ordained for me, when as yet there was not one of them" (Psalm 139:16). 

My friend and I admitted to each other that it is easier said than done to surrender our future into His hands. Rather, we are naturally inclined to go through “what if's,” to imagine all the unexpecteds that could lie ahead of us as the days on the calendar tick off. In our minds we try to cross bridges before we come to them. We have a bridge problem.

What is the purpose of a bridge? It is defined as “a structure built to provide passage over physical obstacles such as water, valleys, or roads.” A bridge is meant to facilitate movement from where we are to somewhere else. There are short bridges like small footbridges over rough terrain or a small stream. There are long bridges like the longest one in the world in Japan whose spans stretch nearly two and a half miles. There is the massive Golden Gate bridge, an architectural wonder. The Brooklyn bridge is touted as “the Bridge of Opportunity.” An ancient covered bridge in Venice, Italy over a narrow canal is called “The Bridge of Sighs.” It was built to transport prisoners by foot from an old prison to a new one. Sculptures line the inside depicting angry and sad faces; it is said that if one listens intently, he can hear the sighs of doomed prisoners from the past. The term “Bridge to Nowhere” describes an unfinished or abandoned bridge, or one whose purpose is lost. 

To bring it into the spiritual realm, by worrying about the future, we are not trusting God for something that only He has control over. This is especially difficult for those of us who are “in charge people.” We are, however, limited in our human nature by space and time. We can't see what's ahead. The future seems to lie in the dark shadows ahead of us and we don't have night vision goggles. So we try to cross bridges in our minds over and over before we come to them; we practice walking over these fantasy bridges multiple times. 

The facts are, we may not ever reach the bridge that we feared. Our own life is like a vapor. Or the bridge we have mentally built may turn out to be just a mirage when we come to it. Or the bridge we dreaded as something ominous may happily lead to something better and more wonderful, “a golden gate bridge.” Or the bridge we feared would be an obstacle, might turn out to be a “bridge of opportunity.” What we dreaded would be a long, long bridge with many spans, God may turn into a “short footbridge” easily crossed.

If we do encounter a difficult bridge, it need not be a “bridge of sighs.” What was meant for evil God is able to turn for good. If God does mean for us to cross a certain bridge, we may find that it is really a way of escape for us, a "bridge over troubled waters," and we will be thankful that God provided it to deliver us. 

God doesn't build a “bridge to nowhere.” He always has a purpose and He doesn't want us crossing bridges in advance. Worry is futile; it cancels our trust in God. “What if's” poison our attitude and threaten our peace. The Proverbs woman had it right. She is our example to do as she was said to have done in Proverbs 31:25, "And she smiles at the future...." When we allow God to hold our hand, we won't be afraid of any phantom bridges!

THE ROAD UNTRAVELED

Leona Choy

How can I follow

The Road Untraveled

without knowing where it leads?

It narrows at the crest of the hill.

I can't see beyond

to the Other Side

but I know it leads Somewhere

unfamiliar to me.

The ruts look deep

as if Someone has dragged

a heavy wooden object

slowly up The Road.

Since I must travel The Road

I'd feel better

if I could follow someone.

Now I dimly see

Someone ahead of me

standing at the top of the hill

arms outstretched

and I know He can see

The Other Side

from His vantage point.

He beckons, calling

“Follow Me!”

Now I can follow The Road

without a fear!

I don't need to know

where it leads

as long as He knows.

He has gone That Way

and already prepared

The Somewhere I will go

and that's enough for me!