Thought for Thursday, July 26th

July 26, 2012

Love Built A Bridge

Bridge building, at least from my perspective, appears to be a very intricate and difficult process.  Even with the advances in technology: the very idea of building something from one shore to another, over a body of water, just boggles my mind.  I really can’t imagine how this feat was accomplished before so many modern tools, methods and engineering advancements occurred.  Yet bridges have been being built for centuries.

And as complex, as it is for me to comprehend the building of a natural bridge, I imagine the building of an emotional and spiritual bridge is even more difficult.

Spiritually speaking in a somewhat figurative sense, there is a great divide or chasm that stretches between humanity and God.  This distance between the Creator and His creation is caused by or at least a result of sin.  For we know, it is sin that separates us from God. 

Yet, because of His immense and extravagant love for us: God has made a way for us to not just exist in the peripheral of His presence; but rather through the blood of Jesus, His son, we can enter boldly into the throne of His grace and we can transcend the very thing that separates us from Him by accepting His free gift of salvation and forgiveness for our sins.  

“Only Christ could build a bridge to God with only two pieces of wood.”

-       Anonymous

Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of God; and every one that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God. He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love. In this was manifested the love of God toward us, because that God sent his only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through him. Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins. Beloved, if God so loved us, we ought also to love one another. No man hath seen God at any time. If we love one another, God dwelleth in us, and his love is perfected in us.  Hereby know we that we dwell in him, and he in us, because he hath given us of his Spirit.

 1 John 4:7-13

God’s love for us caused Him to build a bridge (figuratively speaking) from His heart to our lives: the only requirement, on our part is that we have to be willing to walk across it.  First by accepting God’s gift of salvation to redeem us from our sins and bring us into a relationship with Him; and then thereafter by a willingness to humble ourselves: repent of our sins and a desire to be closer to Him in all we do.

Today’s Prayer

Father, unfathomable love like yours amazes and astounds me; yet still, I am so grateful for it.  May I, when my words, deeds or thoughts cause me to pull away or separate myself from you in any way: always be ready and willing to traverse the span of the bridge you have built and draw closer and nearer to you.

“When the music fades
All is stripped away
And I simply come
Longing just to bring
Something that's of worth
That will bless Your heart
I'll bring You more than a song
For a song in itself
Is not what You have required
You search much deeper within
Through the way things appear
You're looking into my heart
I'm coming back to the heart of worship
And it's all about You,
It's all about You, Jesus
I'm sorry, Lord, for the thing I've made it
When it's all about You,
It's all about You, Jesus “

-  Lyrics from ‘Heart of Worship’ by Matt Redman