The Bridge

Several years ago, my family and I were traveling back to Kansas. On our way back there were two bridges that we had to cross. One was over the Mississippi River and the other over the Ohio River. Unfortunately, one of the two bridges was closed for maintenance purposes. Consequently, we had to find an alternate bridge to cross the river and complete our journey. Without a bridge to cross, we would have been stuck without hope.

Isaiah teaches us, “Behold, the Lord's hand is not shortened, that it cannot save; Nor His ear heavy, that it cannot hear.
² But your iniquities have separated you from your God; And your sins have hidden His face from you, so that He will not hear.” (Isaiah 59:1, 2) Man has been separated from God by his own sins. Sin has created a gap that no one can cross by his own wisdom, strength, or merit.

Jesus did for us what no one else could do. He laid down His life so that we could be reconciled to the Father. Paul states, “Now all things are of God, who has reconciled us to Himself through Jesus Christ, and has given us the ministry of reconciliation, that is, that God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not imputing their trespasses to them, and has committed to us the word of reconciliation.” (2 Corinthians 5:18-19)

Jesus is the bridge back to the Father. The bridge that Jesus provides has two key distinctions from the bridge my family and I encountered. First, the bridge is always open. As long as there is still breath in the lungs and a beating heart in the chest, there is always hope.  Isaiah declares, “Seek the Lord while He may be found, call upon Him while He is near. Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts; let him return to the Lord, and He will have mercy on him; and to our God, for He will abundantly pardon.” (Isaiah 55:6-7).

Second, there is no alternate route. Jesus said, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to Father except by Me.” (John 14:6). Peter made this point to the Sanhedrin when he said, “Nor is there salvation in any other, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.” (Acts 4:12). If we miss Christ, we forfeit our salvation and find ourselves without hope.

The good news is that the bridge of reconciliation unto God can always be found. When one studies the word of God, the way of salvation can be found. Therefore, let us be diligent seekers of God and remain on that path that leads us home.

God bless each of you,

Eric Hicks