"A Bridge Too Far, A Bridge To Nowhere"

Have you ever heard those two phrases? A Bridge Too Far was the title of a semi-documentary movie about a war mission that apparently went horribly wrong. I never saw the movie, but a SABC graduate used that title in a homiletic class assignment many moons ago while he was a student-in-training. "Hmm," I thought, "that's an interesting topic with many theological implications." The Bridge To Nowhere has been disclosed in the news off and on for several months. I believe it has to do with an elaborate bridge that only led to a politician's private place with little or no benefit to anyone else. That project was apparently summarily stopped by the Alaskan powers that be. Whatever! I liked the title because it also has spiritual applications especially in human relations.   

When Ahab married Jezebel that was a bridge too far, 1 Kings 16:29-30. He foolishly formulated friendships in the wrong places. With his ill-fated marriage, Ahab was doomed to failure. He had set a course of action that would ultimately make him one of the most wicked men who ever lived. He had reached beyond his grasp. But if that wasn't enough, he felt compelled to do more. When Ahab attacked Ramoth Gilead against the directive of the Lord's prophet (Micaiah), he was on a bridge to nowhere, 1 Kings 22:19-40. At the end of that journey was a sheer drop off to Hades. Young people often long to be accepted in a popular but notorious group that is "out of their league" spiritually. In order to do that, they have to abandon their principles. That is a bridge too far. If they have the misfortune to be accepted in that group, that is a bridge to nowhere.

Be careful whom you choose as a friend or a mate. If that one leads you away from God, it is a bridge to nowhere.  Don't travel there, even though it may start as a four-lane paved freeway. You won't like the destination when you "get there." You see, you will be nowhere. That is why Jesus warned about the highway and the byway, Matthew 7:13-14. That highway is  the wrong way; the byway is the right way. 

The prodigal son thought he was "cool" when he demanded his inheritance and left home, Luke 15:11-24. He thought he was "Mr. Big." He was independent, hooray! The "distant country" may have shielded  him from his dad's "prying eyes," but it was a bridge too far. This time he had gone too far. He thought it was still "cool" when he squandered his nest egg in wild living. In the pig sty, he made the alarming discovery that he was on a bridge to nowhere. It wasn't "cool" anymore. In fact, he might just have been feverish! Home looked "mighty good" from putrefaction of the pig pen. "Where's the map? Let me trace my steps back to my exit from life!"

The pragmatic beauty of the religion of Jesus is that one can always start over again. "Return to me, and I will return to you," says the Lord Almighty," Malachi 3:8. We all make fools out of ourselves from time to time. But, in Christ, that is not a permanent job. We always get another chance. There is "a land of beginning again." We can turn around (repentance, Acts 17:30) and reject the bridge to nowhere. The bridge to nowhere is a toll bridge--the cost of traveling that bridge is beyond human redemption. You and I do not want to pay that price.

With his own life-blood, Jesus paid the "toll" for us to enter the (by)way to heaven. May I confidently add that all the "bridges over troubled water" on that way are sound, will never collapse and will carry us all with safety!  It is great to be in Christ. It is great to be His servant and yours. May we affirm one another on the journey of life. Let us keep our eyes on Jesus, Hebrews 12:1, and we will not be sidetracked nor distracted.  We will be on the bridge to somewhere. As the song says, "Somewhere the sun is shining" and that's the Beautiful Isle of Somewhere. Let us set our course to that destination with our Pilot in charge.

Love you all,

Al--"the Horne of Africa." 

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