LightGrams
October 29, 2020
Volume 24, Number 39
To see the longest bridge in the world you’ll need to visit China. The Danyang-Kunshan Grand Bridge serves a high-speed railway, and was completed in 2010. The length of the bridge is 102.4 miles, and is recognized by the Guinness Book of World Records. Perhaps just as amazing as its size is that it took only four years to complete.
With this in mind, why did another bridge make the news, one that is only a fraction of the length of the one in China? A United Press International article yesterday told about a bridge found in the Ironbridge Gorge Museums in Britain. It is only 111 feet, 6 inches long, but also made it into the Guinness Book of World Records. Why? It is constructed entirely out of Lego building blocks.
It should be noted that this Lego bridge was built with the assistance of the Institution of Civil Engineers (though I have a couple of grandsons I believe could take on this project with Legos!). The previous record for a Lego bridge was 55 feet, 5.64 inches.
Regardless of your entry into the “longest bridge” contest, I’m confident that the one I’m thinking about puts all others to shame. It is the bridge that spans from heaven to earth, constructed by Jesus Christ almost 2,000 years ago.
No, I’m not referring to a physical bridge one can travel to reach heaven, but the spiritual path opened up as a result of His painful mission to earth. Hebrews 10:19,20 speaks of this “bridge”: “Therefore, brethren, having boldness to enter the Holiest by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way which He consecrated for us, through the veil, that is, His flesh …”
That “new and living way” is the bridge I’m thinking of. The “Holiest” the writer mentioned is the dwelling place of God. In the Jewish covenant it referred to the section of the tabernacle where the ark of the covenant was kept. That ark represented God, and that’s why no one could enter that area other than the high priest, and he only once a year. Jesus opened the route by which any of us can reach heaven.
Thus, Jesus has opened for us a bridge which connects mortal humans with the everlasting Father. Jesus affirmed this fact in John 14:6: “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.” The “bridge”, therefore, is none other than Jesus Himself, and we must be in Him to make it to heaven.
William R. Newell wrote these words for a hymn in 1895: ” Oh, the love that drew salvation’s plan! Oh, the grace that brought it down to man! Oh, the mighty gulf that God did span at Calvary!” Indeed, the gulf between us and God was great, created by our own sins. But Christ bridged that gap when He died on the cross. Amazing!
Come to the light God offers! Study His word, the Bible. Worship Him in spirit and truth (John 4:24). Get in touch with us if you’d like to discuss these ideas further.
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Copyright, 2020, Timothy D. Hall. All scripture quotations, unless otherwise noted, are from the New King James Version (Copyright, 1990, Thomas Nelson, Inc.).
“LightGrams” is produced by the Central Church of Christ, 2722 Oakland Avenue, Johnson City, Tennessee, 37601, and is written by Tim Hall, minister. It is sent free of charge every Thursday to all who request it. To subscribe or to receive more information, write to “Tim@GraceMine.org” (our E-mail address), to the U.S. mail address above, or call (423) 282-1571.
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