The Bridge Endured

The Broadway Bridge between Little Rock and North Little Rock, Arkansas has graced the Arkansas River for 93 years. Yesterday crowds of people showed up on the banks of the river to watch the Broadway Bridge implode. The charges detonated shortly after 10 a.m. and puffs of smoke could be seen coming from the bridge. The steel from the bridge was supposed to fall into the Arkansas River within minutes. But after the smoke cleared, the bridge was still standing. They called it a failed implosion.

That old bridge was apparently stronger and more firmly and deeply fixed than the engineers thought. The explosives were carefully calculated and placed. The charges detonated like they were supposed to. The bridge simply did not fall. And the people were asking, “why are we replacing a bridge that is strong enough to withstand an explosion?”

The people renamed the stubborn Broadway Bridge “the Darn Bridge.” It refused to fall down after being hit with a Big Bang, and crews made seven additional attempts to pull it down with cables and barges. In five hours — around 3:00pm yesterday– the bridge finally came down.

I could not help but make an analogy regarding humans. The world may seriously underestimate how deeply and firmly rooted we are. I am certain that throughout my own life people have watched from afar to see me fall. Sometimes people are like that. Sometimes others relish in our failures. But the truth remains constant. We a deeply rooted and grounded because of the depth of our faith. Life’s explosions cannot destroy us.

We stand strong. We have built our lives on a firm foundation. We endure. We can withstand attempts to destroy us. It’s good news.

You must remain firmly established and steadfast in the faith, without being moved from the hope of the gospel that you heard.

Colossians 1:23