He is my Bridge-Builder!

In Sunday School, we are doing Ann Voskamp's Bible Study One Thousand Gifts based on her book by the same name.  I highly recommend it.  In Lesson 4, she brings up how God is our bridge-builder and we demonstrate our trust in Him as we place our planks and walk across the bridge.  It's a beautiful image that I, surprisingly, have never understood before.  I have hard the song that goes "Like a bridge over troubled waters, I will lay me down" and loved the song.  I have heard about bridges over the years in religious terms, but until doing this particular lesson, I have never understood the symbolism of the bridge so clearly.

In the study, the question is asked:  "What is the connection between trust and joy?  How can trust in God become a bridge to lasting and growing joy in our lives?"  As we were talking about this connection between trust and joy, I had this image of someone getting to the other side of a broken bridge and jumping for joy because she made it.  So as we take each tenuous step across the bridge He has built, we are "laying our planks of trust" (as Ann refers to it) that He will get us to the other side.  So once we are on the other side, we have experienced His strength and power and we feel true Joy in Him for getting us to the other side!!!!

So even taking a step is an act of faith, trusting in Him to have built the bridge to carry us brings us great joy!

Isn't that an awesome thought?!

It also reminded me of the scene in Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade when Indiana has to take the step of faith out onto the bridge he can't see--until he actually takes the first step.  Even when we can't see the bridge--the planks of the bridge, God has laid them and He is there, ready for us to take the first step of faith--and trust in Him.

So the question I have for you is this:  Are you trusting in the bridge-builder and taking even the first step to get to the other side--the other side where His pure JOY awaits?  I'm sure looking up more to Him rather than down in fear and wondering if the next plank will be there.....!