Issue #672 – Fallen Bridges – March 3, 2022
I love this image of a broken-down, fallen bridge sent by a reader. It speaks volumes to me.
All of us have broken bridges in relationships. Some may be the fault of others, some may be bridges that we burnt (intentionally or not), and others may have been mutual. Some relationship bridges have fallen into disrepair and collapsed out of neglect. We didn’t mean for it to happen, but life got in the way, and people drifted apart.
Some relationships collapse due to circumstance changes. We change jobs, and the “friends” at work no longer enter our social circles. When I sustained my brain injury in the early 1990s and changed jobs twice in short order before going off on disability leave, all my “friends” abandoned me. We no longer had commonalities, and the bridges collapsed.
The most significant relational bridge that collapsed was in the Garden of Eden.
God warned Adam.
The Lord God took the man and put him in the garden of Eden to work it and keep it. And the Lord God commanded the man, saying, “You may surely eat of every tree of the garden, but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die.” Genesis 2:15-17
We know what happened. Adam and Eve tasted the forbidden fruit and they died. They didn’t physically die that instant but their relationship with God was severed, the bridge broken.
Since that time, all of humankind has been separated from God. We cannot rebuild the bridge to God. by our own abilities.
An impassible, uncrossable chasm remains between our creator and ourselves. No amount of good works or effort could ever rebuild the bridge.
It would be a bleak picture if God left us in that predicament. Lost and separated from God with no hope. That is a dismal prognosis.
Those who have heard and understand the gospel know that our Lord chose not to leave us stranded.
Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. Philippians 2:5-8
The bridge was rebuilt by Christ even while we remained His enemies. How often, though, do we as Christians begin to think that somehow we were worthy of saving? Or that somehow we have done God a great service by condescending to come to Him and help Him out?
How often do we begin to value our works more highly than we ought, forgetting that we are saved by faith and that even faith is a gift from God?
We are seldom crass enough to use those terms to express how we feel, but it can shine through. Watch what happens when someone who doesn’t fit, who isn’t easily lovable, shows up on a Sunday morning.
Are we quick to judge based on appearance, ethnicity, or another criterion? Maybe they are believers but choose to worship differently, dress differently or prefer different music. There are many ways for someone to not fit our comfortable little niche.
That has been a problem from the earliest days of the church.
James, the brother of Jesus, wrote on that very issue.
My brothers, show no partiality as you hold the faith in our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory. For if a man wearing a gold ring and fine clothing comes into your assembly, and a poor man in shabby clothing also comes in, and if you pay attention to the one who wears the fine clothing and say, “You sit here in a good place,” while you say to the poor man, “You stand over there,” or, “Sit down at my feet,” have you not then made distinctions among yourselves and become judges with evil thoughts? James 2:1-5
If you really fulfill the royal law according to the Scripture, “You shall love your neighbour as yourself,” you are doing well. But if you show partiality, you are committing sin and are convicted by the law as transgressors. For whoever keeps the whole law but fails in one point has become guilty of all of it. James 2:8-10
To one degree or another, it is a sin that all of us have likely fallen into. Fortunately, we are forgiven, and with the Lord’s help, we can overcome such bridge-destroying, unwelcoming attitudes.
My dear friends, let us seek to build bridges with the help of the Lord and rejoice that Jesus brought a bridge to us.
Hallelu Yah (Praise God)
Be blessed.
Kevin.
Gleanings From The Word.
Experience an extraordinary God in ordinary life.
Soli Deo Gloria (for the glory of God alone.)
_____________________________
Would you consider helping us spread the word about “Gleanings”?
Would you please tell your friends and family about us and encourage them to subscribe for themselves? Thanks.
Did you know that we have an email version? Same great content but in a different format. It is handy for when you don’t want to check your FaceBook.
Subscribe today
https://mailchi.mp/f27bbeb09c22/gleanings-1
___________________________
All contents are © 2001, 2022 K. F. “Kevin” Corbin and Gleanings From The Word.
Unless otherwise noted, all Scripture references are from the English Standard Version (ESV). Spelling modified to Canadian English as required.
____________________________
#devotional #biblestudy #dailybible #bible #leanings #KevinCorbin #jesus #god #faith #christian #love #joy #Christ #Father #bibleverses #prayer #church #Holyspirit #jesuschrist #worship #Biblereading #dailybiblereading #dailybible #pray #believe #devotional #devotion #discipleship
#bridges #relationships
#genesis #philippians #james