The Bridge

Scriptures: “But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far away have been brought near through the blood of Christ. For He Himself is our peace, who has made the two one and has destroyed the barrier, the dividing wall of hostility” (Ephesians 2:13-14)

I heard a story about a ferry boat that broke down just 6 feet away from its destination dock. The problem became worse because, for some unknown reason, the water was filling the ferry boat quickly. Many passengers jumped into the ocean to swim to the dock as it was only 6 feet away. But there were some little children on board who did not know how to swim. They and their parents were anxious and fearful, crying for help.

The water was filling the boat quickly. The situation turned desperate. At that moment, a man with a height of 6’4” took action. He laid himself between the ferry boat and the deck, with his feet on the boat and his hands grabbing the rope on the dock. He became a bridge and asked the little children to walk ashore over him. Though scared at first, with the help of adults on both sides, all children were saved and their parents were able to go ashore safely also.

This is an amazing story. In a panic and desperate situation, this man was willing to risk his own life and, more than that, was sensitive to the inability of the little ones to cross that 6 feet gap and offered himself as the solution to their dilemma. He was the reason those children could be safely ashore.

I don’t know who this man was. But he reminded me of our Lord Jesus for there is a huge and unbridgeable gap between us and our heavenly Father. Like those children, we are totally incapable of crossing this gap on our own, as Paul put it, “…at that time you were separate from Christ, excluded from citizenship in Israel and foreigners to the covenants of the promise, without hope and without God in the world.” (Ephesians 2:12)

But Jesus came to lay down His life for us to pay for the demand of righteousness of God and offered Himself as the solution to our dilemma on the cross. He bridged the gap between us and God and He bridged the gaps among us, too. Without Him, we will still be struggling and suffering in the great turmoil of sin.

As we enjoy our eternal identify as the children of God and our fellowship in this divine family of God, let’s not forget that Jesus was the bridge that brought us here and that there are many more who have yet to know this bridge through cross. They are still kept away from these eternal blessings by this “dividing wall of hostility” (Ephesians 2:14) and are still searching for meanings and directions in life. They need Jesus!

Let’s introduce them to our Lord Jesus, the only bridge that can take them safely across to the shore of the glorious Kingdom of God for it was His purpose “to create in Himself one new man out of the two, thus making peace, and in this one body to reconcile both of them to God through the cross, by which He put to death their hostility.” (Ephesians 2:15-16)

Prayer Request:
For passengers without hope in this ferry boat called life

Prayers:
Father God, You know, in this life, there are conflicts; there are tensions; there are hurts; there are disappointments; there are betrayals, and so much more that cause people to drift away from You. We ask that You sanctify us and make us bold to go out and introduce Your Son, our Lord Jesus, to them so they may stop drifting in the turmoil in life and come ashore Your riches in glory. We pray in the name of our Lord Jesus who made all these possible, Amen!