The day before Christmas Eve, I accompanied hubby down to his work campus to ship off some last-minute Christmas boxes.
Over the past few years, a beautiful bridge has been constructed connecting the old part of campus to the new part of campus.
This beautiful bridge crosses a busy multi-lane freeway … as you can see in the photo here.
This beautiful bridge is free to cross. There is no toll gate requiring a fee. Someone else built this beautiful bridge. Someone else paid the cost. And this bridge is now freely open for anyone to cross.
This beautiful bridge is covered. It rains a lot where we live … therefore, the bridge was specifically designed and built so that those who cross will be able to stay dry on their passage.
I was particularly fascinated by the drainage system. It is so artistic and beautiful how the drainage from the roof/covering comes down so unobtrusively into this lovely, camouflaged drain in a planter.
This beautiful bridge has plenty of room for everyone! The bridge is wide and spacious! There are special lanes for bicycles & scooters, so that pedestrians don’t have to worry about getting “run over.”
Furthermore, the bridge is like a garden! It is winter right now, but in the Spring & Summer I can only imagine how beautiful all the plants are in full bloom! I was delighted to recognize Bunchberry Dogwoods! (just like I have in my own flowerbed!) As well as Pacific Bleeding Heart! (I have these growing in my forest too!) What a beautiful garden-bridge!
As we celebrate Christmas, the question might arise – “Why are we celebrating Christmas??” “What is the point of Christmas anyway??”
The reason we celebrate Christmas is because Jesus came to “build a bridge” (just like this beautiful bridge!) to connect the old campus of Earth to the new campus of Heaven!
As we all live here on this Earth there is no way for us to get up to Heaven. It’s impossible! We are separated from Heaven, just like the old part of campus is separated by a busy multi-lane freeway! Our sin (all the bad things we have ever done!) separates us from Heaven. We can’t get across. There is no way.
But Jesus came!
Jesus left Heaven. Jesus crossed the great divide that separated Heaven from Earth.
This is why we celebrate Christmas! We celebrate because Jesus came!
Jesus built a bridge to connect the two!
How?? How did Jesus “build a bridge” to cross the chasm?
By living an absolutely perfect life! Jesus was tempted in all areas just like we are, but he never sinned. He never did anything wrong at all. His perfect life became the perfect sacrifice which was required to cross the chasm of sin.
Jesus paid the price to build the bridge. Jesus paid the entire price … by giving up his own life. Jesus died for us. His life was the price to build the bridge.
Just like this beautiful bridge is completely free for anyone to cross, so also the bridge across the chasm of sin is completely free for anyone to cross. It doesn’t cost us anything … because Jesus has already paid the cost!
Jesus himself is now the bridge spanning the chasm of sin … so that people can leave behind the old, and cross over into the new!
The bridge that Jesus made to cross over to Heaven is absolutely beautiful! It is wide and spacious … with room enough for everyone! Just like this bridge is covered, so also Jesus covers and protects us on our passage across!
And look … way out there in the distance is the new! When the sun shines off the glass of the new office buildings, the brilliance is blinding! The new campus is amazing! It’s beyond anything I have ever seen before!
So also Heaven is amazing! Way out there in the distance it is waiting for us. We are on our journey right now … but one day we will get to the other side. And the brilliance will be dazzling! The beauty and splendor will be beyond words! Heaven will be more amazing than anything we have ever seen before!
This is why we celebrate Christmas!
We celebrate Christmas because Jesus came! Jesus came to build a bridge! Jesus came to span the chasm of sin … and create a way for us to cross over from the old of this Earth to the glory and brilliance and beauty of the new Heaven!
Would you like to cross the bridge? You can! Passage across is free – Jesus paid the cost. Leave behind the “old” … and take the step onto the bridge of Jesus Christ. The bridge of Jesus Christ will give you safe passage all the way to Heaven!
