Bridges or walls?

(08.24.21– Carrying Others –Galatians 6:1-2)

My friend, may I ask you a question? It's been said that many people are lonely because instead of building bridges they find building walls is easier and faster. Is it easier to build a bridge or put up a wall?

My friend, Life’s a story, welcome to This Passing Day.

I'm M. Clifford Brunner.

There are no bridges crossing the creek behind our house since most of the year it's shallow and can be easily crossed without getting wet. It’s summer though and crossing can be tricky. Recently I was hacking down some of that Garlic Mustard weed that's invaded Beech Springs. I was using a long-handled sickle and really putting a shoulder into it. I put a little too much into it and lost my grip and it went flying across the creek. I had two choices for retrieval: I could tip-toe on the slippery rocks and hope I didn't loose my balance or be patient find a better way. That's when I spied an old plank, floated down the creek. I flopped it down over the rocks and had a good pathway to and a back. The rocks were tempting, but the plank was a better choice even though I had to be patient and wait a bit.

It's been said that many people are lonely because instead of building bridges they build walls.

Here's a story: On July 25, 2002, miners were drilling at the abandoned Saxman Mine when 50 million gallons of water released into their shaft, cutting them off from the surface. In a desperate race against time, more than 200 rescuers worked to save the trapped miners. The men were trapped in a small chamber just over four feet high and 18ft wide, in frigid 55o water, 240 feet underground and about 1-1/2 miles from the mine entrance. The miners "decided early on they were either going to live or die as a group." They were all rescued as a group some 77 hours later. The 55o water threatened to kill them slowly by hypothermia, so according to one news report "When one would get cold, the other 8 would huddle around him and warm him up, and when another man got cold, the favor was returned." "Everybody had strong moments," miner Harry Mayhugh told reporters after being released from Somerset Hospital in Somerset. "But any certain time maybe one guy got down, and then the rest pulled together. And then that guy would get back up, and maybe someone else would feel a little weaker, but it was a team effort. That's the only way it could have been." (Rick Roberts)

In everyday life, we need to decide to live or die as a group and to carry other's burdens when they become too heavy to bear. Today in prayer, thank Christ for other believers and seek to build up other believers when their load becomes too heavy. "To bear one another's burdens simply means to help each other along. If you see your fellow leaning, prop them up; if you see them stumble, help them get their footing; if they fall, pick them up." God wants you and I to build bridges to others and not put up walls. It often tempting to shield ourselves from others burdens by taking the easy path and not the one we need to be patient and look for. Don't yield to temptation; take the path that leads to love, build a bridge.

We pray. Heavenly Father, teach us to live as a group and to carry other's burdens when they become too heavy to bear. We thank You Father for other believers who seek to build up other believers when their load becomes too heavy. Make this our credo Lord: ”To bear one another's burdens simply means to help each other along. If you see your fellow leaning, prop them up; if you see them stumble, help them get their footing; if they fall, pick them up." Help us to build bridges to others and not put up walls. When we are tempted to shield ourselves from other’s burdens by taking the easy path and not the one we need to be patient and look for, forgive us and help us not to yield to temptation. May we always take the path that leads to love, building bridges and not walls. In Jesus name we pray. Amen!

Therefore my friend, do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry for itself; each day has enough trouble of its own. (Matt 6:34) This Passing Day. May this passing day honor our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ and be a blessing to you and everyone you meet. Find a stranger and say hello. Don't let another day pass without your day blessing someone else.

If you have a special prayer request, please send your request to ”This Passing Day!”

<thispassingday@gmail.com> From Beech Springs, God bless you for Jesus sake.

Bridges or walls?

(08.24.21– Carrying Others –Galatians 6:1-2)

My friend, may I ask you a question? It's been said that many people are lonely because instead of building bridges they find building walls is easier and faster. Is it easier to build a bridge or put up a wall?

My friend, Life’s a story, welcome to This Passing Day.

I'm M. Clifford Brunner.

There are no bridges crossing the creek behind our house since most of the year it's shallow and can be easily crossed without getting wet. It’s summer though and crossing can be tricky. Recently I was hacking down some of that Garlic Mustard weed that's invaded Beech Springs. I was using a long-handled sickle and really putting a shoulder into it. I put a little too much into it and lost my grip and it went flying across the creek. I had two choices for retrieval: I could tip-toe on the slippery rocks and hope I didn't loose my balance or be patient find a better way. That's when I spied an old plank, floated down the creek. I flopped it down over the rocks and had a good pathway to and a back. The rocks were tempting, but the plank was a better choice even though I had to be patient and wait a bit.

It's been said that many people are lonely because instead of building bridges they build walls.

Here's a story: On July 25, 2002, miners were drilling at the abandoned Saxman Mine when 50 million gallons of water released into their shaft, cutting them off from the surface. In a desperate race against time, more than 200 rescuers worked to save the trapped miners. The men were trapped in a small chamber just over four feet high and 18ft wide, in frigid 55o water, 240 feet underground and about 1-1/2 miles from the mine entrance. The miners "decided early on they were either going to live or die as a group." They were all rescued as a group some 77 hours later. The 55o water threatened to kill them slowly by hypothermia, so according to one news report "When one would get cold, the other 8 would huddle around him and warm him up, and when another man got cold, the favor was returned." "Everybody had strong moments," miner Harry Mayhugh told reporters after being released from Somerset Hospital in Somerset. "But any certain time maybe one guy got down, and then the rest pulled together. And then that guy would get back up, and maybe someone else would feel a little weaker, but it was a team effort. That's the only way it could have been." (Rick Roberts)

In everyday life, we need to decide to live or die as a group and to carry other's burdens when they become too heavy to bear. Today in prayer, thank Christ for other believers and seek to build up other believers when their load becomes too heavy. "To bear one another's burdens simply means to help each other along. If you see your fellow leaning, prop them up; if you see them stumble, help them get their footing; if they fall, pick them up." God wants you and I to build bridges to others and not put up walls. It often tempting to shield ourselves from others burdens by taking the easy path and not the one we need to be patient and look for. Don't yield to temptation; take the path that leads to love, build a bridge.

We pray. Heavenly Father, teach us to live as a group and to carry other's burdens when they become too heavy to bear. We thank You Father for other believers who seek to build up other believers when their load becomes too heavy. Make this our credo Lord: ”To bear one another's burdens simply means to help each other along. If you see your fellow leaning, prop them up; if you see them stumble, help them get their footing; if they fall, pick them up." Help us to build bridges to others and not put up walls. When we are tempted to shield ourselves from other’s burdens by taking the easy path and not the one we need to be patient and look for, forgive us and help us not to yield to temptation. May we always take the path that leads to love, building bridges and not walls. In Jesus name we pray. Amen!

Therefore my friend, do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry for itself; each day has enough trouble of its own. (Matt 6:34) This Passing Day. May this passing day honor our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ and be a blessing to you and everyone you meet. Find a stranger and say hello. Don't let another day pass without your day blessing someone else.

If you have a special prayer request, please send your request to ”This Passing Day!”

<thispassingday@gmail.com> From Beech Springs, God bless you for Jesus sake.