“Bridges”

I have been thinking about bridges lately. As snow falls on the ground, I find myself driving more carefully on bridges and overpasses, because they are the ones that tend to freeze and become very slick. In the NFL, there is the phrase “bridge quarterback,” which alludes to a team that has moved on from its previous quarterback because of injury, trade, or retirement, but they haven’t yet found their next franchise quarterback, -- and so, they use what is called a “bridge quarterback,” who is the in between player from where they were, to who they want to be. The Carolina Panthers even have a quarterback whose name is “Teddy Bridgewater.” 

Back in 1969, Simon and Garfunkel wrote and sang that beautiful song, “Bridge Over Troubled Water.” Now I know they were talking about a couple who were going through some tough times together, but I hope you will see this with fresh eyes, as if they were singing about Jesus Christ. 

“When you’re weary,

feeling small,

When tears are in your eyes,

I will dry them all;

I’m on your side.

When times get rough, and friends just can’t be found,

Like a bridge over

troubled water

I will lay me down.

When you’re down and out,

When you’re on the street,

When evening falls so hard,

I will comfort you.

I’ll take your part.

When darkness comes

And pain is all around,

Like a bridge over

troubled water

I will lay me down.

Like a bridge over

troubled water

I will lay me down.”

Friends, Jesus Christ is our bridge over troubled water, and his cross is the bridge for which we are reconciled to God. If there is anything I would want is for people to have that feeling of being forgiven. Yes, we deserve to be punished, but instead we receive amazing grace.  Absolutely, we deserve God’s wrath, but instead we get God’s unconditional love. No doubt, we deserve life in a debtor’s prison, but the good news is that we get a clean credit history. And you and I are free to forever stand before a holy, loving, forgiving God, -- who is Jesus Christ our Lord.

Pastor John