Jesus Is the Bridge
Confession: driving on bridges over water is actually one of my biggest fears in life. I play out this scenario where I’m driving to get to the other side, and the bridge starts crumbling beneath my car. Have you ever played out a scenario like that? The truth is, when you’re driving on a bridge, you have to have total faith in that bridge to get to the other side safely. There’s no other option.
Today I want to talk about bridges, and about Jesus — because Jesus is the bridge.
There’s one bridge in particular I have to cross whenever I go visit my sister, across the Mississippi River. It’s huge, long, beautiful, and well-constructed, but it freaks me out a little every time. It’s double lanes, so big and so long, and when I look down, the water looks so deep and dark — it’s honestly kind of scary.
The last time I was crossing that bridge, it somehow spoke to my heart. It made me think about Jesus, and how He’s the bridge we need to trust to get through basically every scenario in this life. He’s the steady thing that can carry us from point A to point B.
Jesus obviously bridged the gap between us and God the Father — and that is a very big deal, don’t get me wrong. But He’s also the bridge we can lean on when we’re crossing any deep water in our lives. For safe passage, it’s all eyes on Jesus, because He is the bridge, and He’s a safe, sturdy, strong one at that.
Eyes on the Bridge
Thinking about all of this brought to mind the story of the disciples and the storm, found in Matthew 14:22-32. This happens right after Jesus fed the 5,000-plus people, and I think He wanted a quick breather — so He sent the disciples ahead of Him out to sea in a little boat. Here’s what the passage says:
“Immediately he made the disciples get into the boat and go ahead of him to the other side, while he dismissed the crowds. After dismissing the crowds, he went up on the mountain by himself to pray. Well into the night he was there alone. Meanwhile, the boat was already some distance from land, battered by the waves, because the wind was against them. Jesus came toward them, walking on the sea, very early in the morning. When the disciples saw him walking on the sea, they were terrified. ‘It’s a ghost,’ they said, and they cried out in fear. Immediately Jesus spoke to them. ‘Have courage. It’s I. Don’t be afraid.’ ‘Lord, if it’s you,’ Peter answered him, ‘command me to come to you on the water.’ And he said, ‘Come.’ And climbing out of the boat, Peter started walking on the water and came toward Jesus. But when he saw the strength of the wind, he was afraid, and beginning to sink, he cried out, ‘Lord, save me!’ Immediately Jesus reached out his hand, caught hold of him and said to him, ‘You of little faith, why did you doubt?’ When they got into the boat, the wind ceased. Then those in the boat worshiped him and said, ‘Truly you are the Son of God.'”
I love that story, and I will never get over it. What stands out to me most is Peter’s eyes. When he gets out of the boat and starts walking on the water, and his eyes are fixed on Jesus, everything is fine. But the moment he takes his eyes off Jesus and puts them on the storm instead, he begins to sink.
That’s so profound to me, and it teaches us to keep our eyes fixed on Jesus. There’s a painting I love — you may have seen it — where you’re looking up from underneath the water, and Jesus’s hand is reaching down toward you. It’s my favorite painting of all time, because it captures exactly this: Jesus reaching out His hand, saying, “Fix your eyes on Me, not the storm. Because I am the One who calms the storm, and I am the bridge. I am the bridge that will get you safely to the other side.”
Jesus is the bridge. All eyes on the bridge, all eyes on Jesus. All faith and trust in the bridge, all faith and trust in Jesus. He is strong, and He is steady, and He is the One who will get you through to the other side.
There’s nothing in your life He hasn’t brought you through yet. You can count on Him and trust Him to be faithful, true, strong, and steady. Let Him be the bridge that gets you from point A to point B. Let Him be the bridge that carries you through whatever storm you’re walking through right now.
A Prayer
Heavenly Father, we thank You that You never leave our side. We thank You for Jesus, the bridge we can count on — the One who can carry us from point A to point B. Help us to have faith and trust in Him in every moment, even when it’s hard. Help us pull our eyes off life’s storms, and fix them on Jesus instead. We thank You, Father. Amen.
Let’s Stay Connected
You can connect with me over at katiehedrick.com, where you’ll find my email and all my social links. I’ve also got a free digital devotional available to download. Head over there, connect with me on social media, and I’ll see you next time.