I had the opportunity to take a ride without a set destination or time frame. I found myself riding through the country-side south of Atlanta. For those of us who ride knows riding is the chance to experience nature and visit sites normally missed or past. On my ride this was a place I chose to visit. My visit brought to my mind memories.
I married at twenty-four, becoming a husband and father on the same day. While raising a family life was busy for the next several years. As my career progress and my children grew older life was work, family, church, and kids activities and events. My wife and I came from very different backgrounds. Although our backgrounds were vastly different my wife and I agreed family and faith were crucial foundations on which to raise children.
During the early years while raising a family life was chaotic. There seemed to always be more days in a month than dollars in the bank. Job changes, financial challenges, and the loss of parents were hard times. Having faith was the only thing that carried us through the rough times. Faith had carried me through some difficult times but my faith was challenged when my marriage ended in divorce. My faith had been challenged, but it was my faith that carried me from the first part of my life to the life I live now.
Considering it is the oldest and longest covered bridge in Georgia many motorcycle rides include this as one of the stops during a ride. Riding for many of us provides a sense of freedom, the chance to clear our minds, gaining a fresh perspective.
Looking at the bridge I realized without the bridge life would have been much more difficult. The day I visited Red Oak Bridge the water was calm. Hanging from the bridge was a rope for kids to swing on and play in the cool water. The bridge was there for people to cross from one side to the other- during days like today and during the time of storms. The bridge was covered allowing those crossing even in the worst of storms to be safe and free from fear.
A Bridge of Faith
For many this is only a bridge. For me it is a metaphor for faith. Everyone experiences days that are amazing and wonderful. When times are good we can take for granted the things that make life easier-like a simple bridge. When facing storms, during difficult times when life is the hardest, we really need a bridge. A bridge during the times when we need help to make it through the day.
The issue isn’t if we have faith, but what we place our faith in. While facing the storms of life we realize we cannot make it on our own. Money and things cannot provide peace, or joy when life is seemingly falling apart. It is during these times we understand we need faith in something greater. For me it is my Christian faith which has carried me.
The Christian faith is the faith conveyed to us through scripture of the bible. God the Father, God the Son, God the Holy Spirit. God our Father knew we needed a Savior, a bridge to carry us from death to life. Our Father gave us His son Jesus to be our Savior. Jesus our Savior is the bridge from death to life. Crossing a bridge requires us to have enough faith the bridge built by man will hold until reaching the other side.
Saving faith in Christ has the foundation of the character of God the Father. Our Father, who desires what is best for us, gave us His Son so we may have life. We only have to place our faith in Jesus as our Savior.
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See you on The Open Road,
Moto-Tec-it Tim