The Bridge

By David A. Sargent

     Once upon a time two brothers who lived on adjoining farms fell into conflict. It was the first serious rift in 40 years of farming side by side, sharing machinery, and trading labor and goods as needed without a hitch. Then the long collaboration fell apart. It began with a small misunderstanding and it grew into a major difference, and finally it exploded into an exchange of bitter words followed by weeks of silence.
     One morning there was a knock on John's door. He opened it to find a man with a carpenter's toolbox. "I'm looking for a few days work" he said. "Perhaps you would have a few small jobs here and there. Could I help you?"
     "Yes," said the older brother. "I do have a job for you. Look across the creek at that farm. That's my neighbor, in fact, it's my younger brother. Last week there was a meadow between us and he took his bulldozer to the river levee and now there is a creek between us. Well, he may have done this to spite me, but I'll go him one better. See that pile of lumber curing by the barn? I want you to build me a fence-an 8-foot fence-so I won't need to see his place anymore. Cool him down, anyhow."
     The carpenter said, "I think I understand the situation. Show me the nails and the post-hole digger and I'll be able to do a job that pleases you."
     The older brother had to go to town for supplies, so he helped the carpenter get the materials ready and then he was off for the day. The carpenter worked hard all that day measuring, sawing, nailing.
     About sunset when the farmer returned, the carpenter had just finished his job. The farmer's eyes opened wide, his jaw dropped.
     There was no fence there at all. It was a bridge – a bridge stretching from one side of the creek to the other! A fine piece of work, handrails and all – and the neighbor, his younger brother, was coming across, his hand outstretched. "You are quite a fellow to build this bridge after all I've said and done."
     The two brothers met at the middle of the bridge, taking each other's hand. They turned to see the carpenter hoist his toolbox on his shoulder. "No, wait! Stay a few days. I've a lot of other projects for you," said the older brother.
     "I'd love to stay on," the carpenter said, "but I have so many more bridges to build." *
     When WE were separated from God due to our sin (Isaiah 59:1-2), God, because of His great love for us, sent His Son Jesus to “build a bridge” of reconciliation.
     Actually, Jesus WAS and IS the bridge that reconciles man to God, for Jesus died on the cross to pay the price for our redemption (Ephesians 1:7).  Through Jesus, we are reconciled to God (see 2 Corinthians 5:17-21).

     To access the Bridge of reconciliation to God... we must place our faith and trust in Jesus (Acts16:30-31), turn from our sins in repentance (Acts 17:30-31), confess Jesus before men (Romans 10:9-10), and be baptized(immersed) into Christ for the forgiveness of sins (Acts 2:38).
     Don’t remain separated from God!  Cross the Bridge of reconciliation through your trusting obedience to His Will.
     Won’t YOU?

- David A. Sargent, minister for the Church of Christ at Creekwood in Mobile, Alabama, is also the editor of an electronic devotional entitled Living Water." To learn more about this excellent resource contact David via their website: http://www.creekwoodcc.org

* From illustrations data base at www.bible.org, Author Unknown

The Oil Of Kindness

   I read of a man who carried a little can of oil wherever he went.  If he passed through a door that squeaked, he poured a drop of oil on the hinges, and if a gate was hard to open, he oiled the latch.  So he passed through life lubricating all the creaking places, making it a little more pleasant for those who followed after him.
   There is no telling how many lives you and I could keep from rusting and squeaking, and how many gates we could open to happiness, if only we would take a little oil of brotherly love and human kindness.  Let us use it wherever we are, for there are many lives rusting away in sin.

- Author unknown; via THE SOWER, a weekly publication of the Arthur Church of Christ, Arthur, IL. Ron Bartanen, who serves as minister and editor, may be contacted through the congregation's website: http://www.arthurchurchofchrist.com

The Green Jacket

     Two personal friends came very close to winning one of golf’s premier tournaments, the 2009 Masters championship.  Instead, Kenny Perry and Chad Campbell reached a three-man playoff that was won by Angel Cabrera.  Instead of Perry becoming the oldest winner in history, Cabrera became the first golfer from Argentina to wear the coveted green jacket, given to the winner of the tournament.
     Perry’s attitude in defeat put things in proper perspective: “If this is the worst thing that happens to me, I can live with it.”  The Associated Press reported, “He was as gracious as ever.”  Perry said, “I may never get this opportunity again, but I had a lot of fun being in there.  I had the tournament to win.  I lost the tournament.  But Angel hung in there; I was proud of him.”
     Of infinitely more importance than this special GREEN JACKET is a WHITE ROBE pictured in the final book of the Bible.  This imagery reflects wonderful spiritual and eternal blessings.   In Revelation 7:13-14, John wrote: "These in white robes--who are they, and where did they come from? … These are they who have come out of the great tribulation; they have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.”
     John, guided by the Holy Spirit, also recorded Jesus’ description of some faithful Christians in Sardis: “You have a few people in Sardis who have not soiled their clothes. They will walk with me, dressed in white, for they are worthy.  He who overcomes will, like them, be dressed in white. I will never blot out his name from the book of life, but will acknowledge his name before my Father and his angels” (Revelation 3:4-5).
     In these beautiful, symbolic passages, John describes a splendid reality: because God so loved the world He gave His only begotten Son to die for our sins so that we might wear “white robes,” representing the cleansing power of the blood of Jesus (John 3:16).
     Very few of us will ever wear the “GREEN JACKET,”  but EACH of us has a far greater opportunity!  By accepting God’s offer of grace on His terms, we can wear a “WHITE ROBE” of glory! 
     We are clothed with that “WHITE ROBE” when we: believe in Jesus (Acts 16:30-31), turn from our sins in repentance (Acts 17:30-31), confess Jesus before men (Romans 10:9-10), and are baptized (immersed) in His name for the forgiveness of sins (Acts 2:38).
     Have YOU, in trusting, obedient faith, chosen to receive the Gift offered by Divine grace? 
     Do so while opportunity is yours and continue, in faithfulness, to overcome and to serve God.
     Won’t YOU?

-- Allen Dixon is the uncle of David A. Sargent and member of the Germantown (TN) church of Christ; David A. Sargent, minister for the Church of Christ at Creekwood in Mobile, Alabama, is also the editor of an electronic devotional entitled Living Water."  To learn more about this excellent resource contact David via their website: http://www.creekwoodcc.org