A Crossing I Look Forward To

Penny Frost McGinnis

John 17:1-5
After Jesus said this, he looked toward heaven and prayed:
“Father, the hour has come. Glorify your Son, that your Son may glorify you. For you granted him authority over all people that he might give eternal life to all those you have given him. Now this is eternal life: that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent. I have brought you glory on earth by finishing the work you gave me to do. And now, Father, glorify me in your presence with the glory I had with you before the world began.”

For most of my life I feared bridges. Nevertheless, I’ve had to travel across them. Several years ago, my young daughters and I, with my brother and his family, traveled to Georgia to visit our other brother. To get to St. Simon’s Island, where he lived, we had to cross a causeway. Similar to a bridge, the concrete road rose above the water to a peak, then came back down and connected to the island. As I drove I felt like I might propel straight to heaven before we came down on the other side. Then there was a bridge in Maryland I rode on, over 4 miles long, that curved across the Chesapeake Bay. It was beautifully engineered but gave me butterflies. If that’s not enough, the old Maysville bridge that crossed the Ohio River filled me with great anxiety every time we traveled to the college my daughters and I attended (at different times.) Fortunately they’ve updated it and added a new one down the road. So when Tim and I walked across the Purple People Bridge in Cincinnati, I had a mini-celebration.

My fear of bridges has dissipated over the years although I still get a flutter sometimes when I cross over. But one bridge I’ll never fear is the one God has given me to get to heaven. Jesus is the bridge to eternal life. He’s the only way for imperfect people like me to be forgiven. Because of Jesus, I look forward to a home in heaven where I’ll be free to rejoice and praise God all day long. Because of Jesus I have the freedom from sin that gives me peace and hope. He bridges the gap between earth and heaven and that’s one crossing I look forward to. Praise God for Jesus!

Have you ever feared bridges?