It’s everybody’s nightmare become reality: the solid steel and concrete beneath your car’s or truck’s wheels suddenly collapses and throws your vehicle like a toy into the murky waters of the river. Now worldwide those millions who daily drive over these steel and concrete spiderwebs that are Interstates in our glorious cities will wonder anew how secure they are. Just three years ago engineers who inspected Interstate 35 over the Mississippi saw nothing that worried them: they gave the huge bridge a clean bill of health.
The Interstate 35 bridge was just an integral part of Minneapolis; it was there, like the great Temple was an integral part of Jerusalem, to Christ’s disciples. He shocked them in Luke 21, telling how not one “goodly stone will be left ... upon another, that shall not be thrown down” (vs. 6, REB). Those “stones” were unbelievably huge; what He said seemed totally impossible. Coming history could never prove Him right, they thought; this apparently impossible prophecy astonished them with a burden of belief that weighed on them just as they entered into the cataclysmic events of the crucifixion, when their hopes in the Messiah would be dashed.
“On earth nations will stand helpless, not knowing which way to turn from the roar and surge of the sea. People will faint with terror at the thought of all that is coming upon the world; for the celestial powers will be shaken” (vss. 25, 26, NEB).
But the frightful news in the lips of Jesus is not Bad News: He adds, “Not a hair of your head will be lost. By standing firm you will win yourselves life. ... Stand upright and hold your heads high ...” (vss. 18, 25). There’s something to hope for.
We sympathize with Minneapolis today; their baseball game got mixed into all this turmoil, life for many is turned upside down. Let’s not treat the news as another ho-hum disaster, but let’s read again that pivotal chapter in the gospels, Luke 21, and its counterparts in Matthew 24 and Luke 13. The bridge began to shake before it collapsed; you don’t have to look far to see signs of things shaking all around us.
The great plan of salvation that engages Heaven’s attention is winding to its close on this planet; you and I are being “called” to “follow the Lamb wherever He goes,” to be among His loyal “bodyguard” of 144,000 who will share with Him His cross on which self is crucified with Him. Give all for the treasure of oneness with Christ; know your inheritance.
Be sure to check your e-mail for "Dial Daily Bread" again tomorrow.
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