Bridge to Nowhere
We all want to know we’re going somewhere in life. Don’t we?
The mysterious “bridge to nowhere” formerly resided in the Mentor Lagoons Marina. The 185-foot-long bridge was built in the 1920s by a group of wealthy Clevelanders who were seeking a vacation spot. The bridge was just one of many parts in development plans for the area. Their goal was to turn the lagoons into a sort of “Venice of the North.” When the stock market crashed in 1929, plans to finish the bridge were abandoned, leaving it without approaches on either side. Over years of abandonment, the bridge became known to locals as the “bridge to nowhere.”
After inspection by the Ohio Historical Society, it was deemed that there were no historical aspects to the bridge and that it needed demolished. In autumn of 2014, it was reduced to nothing, nothing but a small pile of cement on the shore serving as a reminder of what could’ve been. Sadly, this is where many people live. They go to work. They pay their bills. They survive. Sure, they may have some joy come through a relationship like a spouse or child but apart from that, they’re missing the joy Jesus intends because they aren’t yet going somewhere, doing something for the Kingdom of God.
I think we have this built-in desire to not be aimless or purposeless. I love the catechism which states that the chief goal of man is to glorify God and enjoy Him forever. We know that God is revealed through the person of Jesus Christ. So to enjoy knowing Jesus Christ, His friendship, His lordship, His love and presence, THAT is what we were made for! And as Christians, we’re certainly going somewhere! We have HEAVEN as home!
1 Corinthians 10:31 Whether therefore you eat, or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God. Romans 11:36 For of Him, and through Him, and to Him, are all things: to whom be glory for ever. Amen.
When we realize this - that we are made to glorify God and enjoy Him - we start to ask the question of how? How can we personally glorify God? Well for each of us it’s different. I LOVE this subject so I’m going to write a few blogs about this over the next few weeks and months =)
The question of “How?” This is where vision comes in. This is when we ask “God want do you want me to do to glorify you before I get to Heaven?”
Of course, there’s a lot of ways we can answer that but let’s start with these one concept - a paradigm through which we view life. That paradigm - vision.
Vision is when you get a picture of your future of what GOD can do through you to bless others. Ambition is what you want to do for yourself. Ambition comes from the sinful nature while vision comes from the divine nature - the Spirit of God. God’s Spirit will give you a vision for the future - one where you are able to serve others using your gifts and talents. There’s so much meaning and joy in that serving - knowing that your life is enriching others. The world would tell us the opposite - to look out for number one - that is the key to being happy. Jesus teaches us an upside down philosophy - live to serve others. The fact is, we simply won’t do that until we let God’s Spirit enter our hearts and renew us. Then and only then, do we become passionate about serving others - creating a future for others to be blessed. That my friend, is the meaningful life and it’s certainly not the bridge to nowhere. When you give your life for the vision Jesus has put in your heart, you are on a bridge to an eternal hope in heaven, given a crown of glory and able to joyfully lay that crown before the throne of Jesus!
Now, if you’re a cook, you’re making incredible meals so that people will enjoy that meal knowing GOD made the ingredients and gave you the creativity to pull them all together for a tapestry of taste!
If you’re a graphic designer, you’re designing images that tell the right story and you’re doing that for GOD.
If you’re a farmer, you’re stewarding crops that GOD invented!
If you’re a stay-at-home-mom (or dad) you’re shaping little people! The way they view the world, the way they love and treat people, the way they view God and those He’s created! WOW!
If you’re a carpenter… well, you get the idea.
God told Adam to care for the garden - to cultivate it. We too are to cultivate while we’re here on earth. We’re to build something special for the enrichment of life! Get off the bridge to nowhere and begin asking the Lord “How can I better serve you by serving people?”
Keep an eye out for next devotional blog. In it, I’ll list 6 things about the vision / the promise God will put in your heart.
It will scare you.
- 6. coming next month =)