Are we building bridges or burning them?

Bridges are probably one of the greatest and most unique inventions of mankind. It made our lives easy. ‘Crossing over’ to most difficult places became easy and less time consuming.

Akashi kaikyo bridge in Kobe, Japan, opened in 1998 (spans an incredible 1991 metres, 6529 feet), is famed to be the longest bridge in the world.
What is the definition of a bridge?

“A structure carrying a road, path or railway across a river, road or other obstacles.” Starting with 13th century BC Greek Bronze Age, stone arched bridges quickly spread all around the world. Later on, steel (for its high tensile strength ), iron and other materials started being used in construction of bridges that can span miles and miles. Their appearance, capacities and structural elements do vary.

One of my favourite bridges is ‘Howrah bridge’ in Kolkata, since I grew up in Kolkata. Another addition was made later, ‘Vidya Sagar Setu Bridge’ , that hangs majestically, and I am always amazed at its beauty.

There are quite a few kinds of bridges. To name a few, ‘arch’, ‘beam’, cable-stayed, suspension and truss’.

Why do we need bridges?
1) To cross over from point ‘A’ to point ‘B’
2) To carry our loads
3) To reach a destination we want to reach
4) To reach a place which is difficult to reach if the bridge is not there
5) To reach the other side of the bridge and then start on a new journey from the other side once we have reached safely ‘through’ the bridge.
6) Once the difficult part is over, we can start afresh…..

(Shash Grewal (Shashwati) is a “Scriptural Motivational Writer, who explain’s life’s, common principles, in a very lucid manner so that the younger generation can relate to the solutions, she offers through her writing, to all the problems they face on a daily basis.)

The first welded road bridge was designed by Polish engineer Stefan Bryla in 1927. Since then, many beautiful bridges have been built keeping the need and requirements of a particular city or place. We have too many bridges to count. But one thing that is common, is how beautifully and royally they hang and make life easy for civilisation to prosper.
Practically every single human walking on earth, has crossed at the least once, one bridge in his/her lifetime.

What does scripture say about bridges?

Spiritually who needs a bridge?

The ‘lost’ needs a bridge.

A disconnected believer needs a bridge.

A person with no knowledge of God needs a bridge.

This loveless world needs a bridge.

We have enough knowledge, but not enough love.

1 Corinthians 8:1, Paul said that knowledge puffs up, but love ‘builds’ up. So instead of being anxious to tell others what we know, let us strive to edify them and ‘build’ them up.

Though Bible doesn’t record ‘bridges’ exactly. Because our God is known for dividing the Red sea (see Exodus 14:1-31) for crossing through. He is known for carrying us through ‘water, rivers and fire (see Isaiah 43:1-5), without us being hurt. He is known for carrying us on His palm gently (see Isaiah 41:13). Our God is also known for saving us from fiery furnaces of life (see Daniel 3:15-30). But He doesn’t make bridges, to simply cross over (problems and challenges) easy way, just as a Father wouldn’t teach His sons/daughters any shortcut from hard work. Lord’s disciplinary actions, refining, purifying, pruning and prodding has been there from the beginning, since Abraham’s journey to Christ.

But then comes Christ.

What was Christ’s purpose on earth?

Jesus Christ is out mediator (1 Timothy 2:5), the connection, the Bridge, between God and us.

Spiritual enablement flows from God through Him to us. He helps us in our weaknesses(1 John 2), carries all our burdens( Psalm 68:19, Psalm 55:22), helps us establish a relationship with God(John 1:14) , and once we have been redeemed, offers us a new life(Ephesians 2:1-10). Steeped in sins, it is hopeless for mankind, to even try to reach God without Christ as our Mediator.

1 Peter 4:1-6, The apostle is speaking about the efficacy of Christ’s suffering and death in making possible a relationship between God and human beings.

Job 12:7-10, ‘But ask the beasts, and they will teach you, the birds of the heavens , and they will tell you, or the bushes of the earth, and they will teach you, and the fish of the sea will declare to you. Who among all these does not know that the hand of the Lord has done this? In His hand is the life of every living thing and the breath of all mankind.”

As His children, we have been assigned the great commission of ‘spreading His love’ to all mankind. But wait! What do we find? We find ‘lack of love’ for each other. We also find ourselves at a place where (if we see from God’s eyes) we aren’t exactly building bridges of His love, but rather burning them with pride, greed, lust for power and money, and above all with ‘twisted truths’ that suit us to the max. We are becoming more of ‘stumbling blocks’ rather than bridges for people to understand what God’s heart is. We are preaching ‘prosperity Gospel’ ‘healing gospel’ and so many other kinds that are good to the ears. We are not teaching ‘discipline’ in prayer life. We aren’t teaching people that God is God, and He will do things ‘his way’ and ‘not my way’. No matter how much we whine, it’s not God’s problem to see things our way’ . We end up in situations(mess) ‘only when we force things our way. And God definitely isn’t under any obligation to fix it. If we close our ears and eyes to His sound teachings, consequences are there! We have to go through it alone!

Blessings !

(“”The writer has been a Cover page Model for various fashion magazines , anchored various musical shows for youth Channels and a (short film) filmmaker for Discovery Channel. Currently busy writing her own book””)