I re-joined our church’s lady’s Bible study this semester. It has been so good to be back with old and new friends on Thursday mornings. We recently finished going through Titus and talking about what are bridges and what are barriers to living missionally, to living out the gospel of grace in our context … like Paul commissioned Titus to do by sending him to Crete.

Bridges don’t always look like I expect. Sometimes challenging situations are the bridges God intends. This was true for me last weekend.

Saturday morning brought a major snow storm to our neighborhood. By the end of the day there was 14″ of heavy white snow blanketing our yard, our driveway, the trees, and everything else outside. It was beautiful … but …

My husband started having symptoms that said, go to the ER, check this out! Drive through the snow. NOT my favorite activity!

I slipped our 4WD vehicle into 4-LO to get out of the driveway and off we went … slowly!

We got there. There were lots of tests, one overnight for observation, and he was discharged. The symptoms probably a result of his December bout with Covid. We exhaled.

But in those 30 hours, Bill and I experienced bridges of the gospel lived out on our behalf.

*** The ladies in my Bible study (I’m still putting names with faces) and several others faithfully prayed.
*** Our Splendid Friends (couple’s group) made sure I got back to the hospital Sunday morning. Our car was imprisoned in the snow.
*** Neighbors and some of the men in S.F. plowed out our drive.
*** There are some difficult situations in our extended family. They all evaporated in their concern for Bill.

 

“Bear one another’s burdens,
and so fulfill the law of Christ.”
Galatians 6:2

What wonderful gifts we received last weekend, a picture of gospel bridges.

Some of those gifts came because I initiated. I asked for help. I texted a neighbor to see if he could plow our driveway. I texted a few to ask that they pray. I needed to let our need be known and be a receiver. The word spread. More and more people came to our aid.

I needed to let my friends cross the bridge on their terms. I needed to accept according to their lead, their abilities to help. I was thankful for the understanding of my sister-in-law who had walked a similar path. I needed her story. Some of the gospel bridges surprised.

Last week, in an unrelated situation, I also experienced gospel barriers. I was sure that sharing that story (different from what I just shared) would be a bridge. It wasn’t, it was a barrier. I’m thankful she was honest and let me know she didn’t want to hear those stories.

Sometimes life is like walking a gospel tight-rope.
What will be a bridge; what will be a barrier?

So I’m learning.
1.  Let them lead.
2.  Accept on their terms.
3.  Keep asking. Be a receiver.
4.  Barriers are like yellow flashing lights, not stop signs. Look for another way.
5.  Keep praying. God, what does the bridge look like in this situation?

“… so that in everything they may adorn the gospel…
For the grace of God has appeared,
bringing salvation for all people,”
Titus 2:10,11

 

Copyright, Sue Tell, February 2024