Crossing the Bridge
Proverbs 3:5-6
Don't choose the bridge that seems safest, but choose the bridge that follows God's path.
When I was in junior high, I visited the Philippines with a group of pastors and other Christian young people with the goal of passing out tracts and helping local missionaries and churches. Our travel plans called for us to visit Baguio City in the northern Luzon province of the Philippines. The church we were staying in the first night was situated in the jungle, and after a long plane ride from the States, we piled into Jeeps to travel into the jungle to reach the church. The jungle we traveled through were inhabited by the Calinga jungle tribe, and at the end of our ride, we met the Calinga tribesmen who stood with torches ready to guide us deeper into the jungle to the church.
The next three hours were spent hiking through the jungles of the Philippines. Already exhausted by jet lag, I imagined every possible enemy hiding in the bushes around me. Eventually, we reached a bridge that stretched across a large gully overlooking a rushing river below. The bridge wasn't a normal, American bridge we were used to seeing. It was made of vines, bamboo, and slick material, and swayed when walked on. Needless to say, I was a bit nervous about crossing the bridge. I thought that day would be my last, and I'd plunge to my death below in the river.
As we rested for a few minutes before crossing the bridge, I began rationalizing crossing the bridge in my own mind. I looked around at my traveling companions and realized that if some of the older and heavier people with us could cross the bridge before me, I'd be safe to cross. One by one the heavier members of our group crossed and the bridge proved to be trustworthy, so I crossed with no problem.
In the Christian life, we all come to bridges we must cross. Every bridge will be different and the circumstances surrounding it will vary by Christian, yet many bridges will appear weak, wobbly, and untrustworthy. Can we trust the bridge? Or will we fall to our death below?
One bridge we must cross is that of provisions. How will we survive in difficult economic times? Will we stay on the side of trusting self or will we step onto the bridge of faith and trust God's provision? The bridge may look unstable to us, yet God calls for us to step onto the bridge and trust Him.
One group of people who stepped out and trusted God for provision were the Israelites. Although they were slaves in Egypt, they were given housing and food. Yes, they wanted to escape slavery, but as shown through their murmuring, they were given reliable provisions in Egypt. They had a choice to make-remain in Egypt and trust the Egyptians for provisions, or step onto the bridge of faith and follow God into the desert. The Israelites didn't always see how God would provide, nor did they immediately trust God in each situation, yet as they continued following Him they saw His provisions time after time.
God desires that you would step onto the bridge of faith and trust Him for your provisions. Don't choose the bridge that seems safest, but choose the bridge that follows God's path. As the Israelites learned, crossing the bridge of faith takes small steps. Trusting God is done through daily placing your faith in Him. Each time you face a need or something comes up in life, turn to God. Refuse to seek your own answer, but seek God's provision.
Have you stepped onto the bridge of faith when it comes to your personal finances and daily provisions? The economy's current condition is no secret, yet thankfully God doesn't operate by this world's economy. Refuse to take the bridge of least resistance, but choose to trust God to provide for your needs each day.
Daily Bible Reading
1 Samuel 1-3 | Luke 8:26-56
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