A Bridge over Troubled Waters - Joshua 3:7-17

For fourteen years (1971-1985) we lived on the North fork of the Kentucky River.   A 400-foot long swinging bridge, measuring 30 inches in width was suspended 30 feet above the river.  The bridge was held up by two one inch steel cables, and it would swing back and forth about two feet when the wind was blowing.   I could not only walk the bridge, but I could drive a wheel barrel across with no problems…. aside from the fact that I was extremely frightened.   Several times in our years there a flood came, and twice we saw whole houses floating down the river. 

In 2007 the I-35W Mississippi River bridge after 39 years in service experienced a catastrophic failure during the evening rush hour on August 1, 2007, killing 13 people and injuring 145.

My point today is that we all need good bridges over troubled waters.  Bridges are “lifelines” to safety, or in the case of flooding, our only link to freedom from the wrath of a flood.

The Israelites found themselves in troubled waters when they approached the River Jordan. The Promised Land was on the other side. This was the last major obstacle that stood in the way.

God wants us to listen and to trust our leaders. Imagine if you were one of the Israelites, crossing the Jordan with water “heaped up” on either side of you. Would you venture forward, trusting that God would keep you dry? Do you trust the leaders in your life; your teachers, your parents, your pastor?

The Lord told Joshua to “stand still in the waters” of the Jordan. Unlike Moses who raised his staff to part the waters of the Red Sea, Joshua was instructed to wait. When we are experiencing troubled waters we often lose patience. Because we live in a society that wants everything now and expects everything to be done yesterday, we have become an impatient people.

Think of the priests, as they stood in the middle of the river. They stood there with the Ark of the Covenant as all the people passed by. They couldn’t leave their position, in spite of the fact that there was a wall of water on either side of them. They had to be patient, they had to wait.

When we experience troubled waters we get anxious. We want a quick fix. We want the pain, the suffering, the confusion to go away as soon as possible. We want to get to the other side immediately. We are more like Evel Knievel, wanting to be blasted across a river canyon rather than climb down the hillside and wade across where it is safe.

Crossing troubled waters requires trust and patience. And it also requires faith. Faith in a God who assures us that He will be with us in our transition. Faith in a God who promises new life in a new land. Faith in a God who can create a bridge over troubled waters in ways that surpass our understanding. In the Ark of the Covenant was the Law of Moses. The Law of Moses was symbolic of the presence of God. Consequently, the Israelites believed that God was with them as they traveled abut two-thirds of a mile between the waters of the river.

For the Israelites, crossing the Jordan would not be the end of their challenges. Once across they would face opposition in the form of armed nations. They successfully crossed the bridge over troubled waters but their journey was not complete. What the event did for them was give them hope and remind them that whatever they faced in the future, God would be with them.

What are you facing today? God will make a way across the troubled waters.  He wouldn't give you that problem if he did not have an answer for it.  He simply wants you to trust Him and believe Him for the answer.

Friends, you can be the answer to someone's prayer and be their bridge over troubled waters. You can bring folks to Christ, encourage them in their battles, walk beside them in their loneliness, and bless them in their present situation.   You can be their lifeline to safety.

Prayer: "Lord, you know our every need. You also have the answer for that need. Thank you for your abundant supply for our need. You are our bridge to heaven and to all blessings.  Help us to be the bridge to success and the bridge to tomorrow for others today. In Jesus name. Amen!"

Blessed to be a blessing,

Pastor Ken

Weekly Schedule @ Faith Fellowship:

Wed. at 7 PM is Prayer Meeting

Fri. at 7 PM is Prayer for our Nation as we enter our 250th year!

Sat. at 7 AM is Men’s Bible & Breakfast

Sun. 9 AM is Sunday School / 10 AM is Worship 

Sunday is quarterly business meeting after worship.

Faith Fellowship -Our Forever Family, 2597 State Hwy 35, Luck, WI

Ken Mettler, Pastor (715) 475-7666

(The photo is of a swinging bridge that looked similar to the one we could see from our house.)