The Golden Gate Bridge is a famous, orange-red-colored bridge that spans across the strait of water at the mouth of the San Francisco Bay. It connects San Francisco with other areas of California. The Golden Gate Bridge is not an ordinary bridge; it’s a suspension bridge.
Suspension bridges are not only cost-effective because they use less material, but they also have a deck supported by cables. This means the road across is more flexible and can handle high winds and earthquakes with minimal damage. These types of bridges are considered more effective than fixed bridges.
Since its completion, the Golden Gate Bridge has been standing majestically in the strait for almost 87 years. Reading about that bridge made me wonder how I stand in the straits of life as I look back on my life. Am I fixed and my support rigid, cracking under life’s stresses, or am I flexible and adapt to all that life sends my way? Do I stand proud and strong because I have overcome, or do I crumble and grumble about how miserable life is?
Now is the time for renewal and to decide how you will construct yourself over the waters of life. How you build your bridge is your choice. You can use materials that last, such as faith in the Lord, a moral code based on Biblical principles, and love for yourself and others, which is a design that makes for flexibility and adaptability and can withstand life’s storms. Or you can use materials that look sturdy at the time or seem like a good idea, such as doing what feels good, falling into the current trends, or taking part in hatefulness and division. None of these are substantial and will crumble at the first sign of rain. At the end of the storm, you may whine and moan that you must start all over again, because your bridge did not withstand its first test.
Once you build your bridge, you also need to keep it up to code and adapt to changes. As time goes on, you may have to modify and strengthen your bridge to have it function more effectively. If you used proper materials and a good design, it will be easier to maintain. Daily Bible reading, prayer, and being in community with a Bible-believing church will aid in the adaptation process. Also, if you start with the right materials when you are young, changes that need to be made later will likely be less costly when adjustments and reinforcements are necessary to withstand the constant pressures of life. It’s imperative to be prepared for the unexpected. Remember, if you begin with the right materials, your bridge will stand strong against the roughest elements for a lifetime.
Why do you call me, ‘Lord, Lord’, and do not do what I say? I will show you what he is like who comes to me and hears my words and puts them into practice. He is like a man building a house, who dug down deep and laid the foundation on a rock. When a flood came the torrent struck the house, but could not shake it, because it was well built. Luke 6:46-48
From my book Reflecting Back and Moving Forward