When The “Bridge” Is More Troubled Than The “Waters”: The Minneapolis Disaster

Most people drive over several bridges everyday, and I doubt they give a second thought as to whether or not it will hold. Our society has become so safety conscious, that we just assume things are built right, and government inspectors will never let something pass that isn’t up to snuff. While the majority of the time that may be true, accidents still (and always will) happen.

Like many others, I was curious as to how this could have happened. Let’s face it, this wasn’t an isolated wooden bridge somewhere in the middle of nowhere. This was a bridge on a major U.S. Interstate, that ran right through a major U.S. City, over the largest river in our country. If ANY bridge would be safe, you would assume that one would be. But, sadly that wasn’t the case.

I predict we will see a media-fueled, over reacting blame game ensue in the coming days. Don’t get me wrong, there obviously needs to be an investigation into what happened, and if it truly was negligence on someone’s part, they need to be help accountable. But, what I think you’ll see are politicians clamoring for the camera with promises of a full scale inspection of every piece of pavement on the planet. Higher taxes to cover “repairs” that may or may not be needed, so people can feel safer. And reporters constantly asking, “who can we blame?” In fact, this has already started. This morning on “Good Morning America” Diane Sawyer in her best “I’m a serious newsperson” voice, asked a Civil Engineer what the average citizen is supposed to do if they feel uneasy about driving across a bridge. The engineer spent the next 2 minutes, basically saying, “find another route to your workplace.” But is that really necessary? Are we going to become a nation marked by over-reacting paranoia concerning bridge safety? We’ve already over-reacted on airplane safety to the point where you can scarcely enter a plane without the standard body cavity search to make sure you’re not concealing a tube of toothpaste somewhere. How will we over-react to this tragedy?

Rather than fear, blaming, and unnecessary paranoia, let me offer another suggestion. Trust in the Sovereignty of God over your life, and make eternal issues your primary focus. We have become a country that puts so much faith in man’s ability, that we often forget that man’s abilities are (and always will be) limited. Technology has advanced to the point where we can travel great distances in short amounts of time. We can send information across the world in a matter of nanoseconds. Diseases that were once sure-fire death sentences can now be treated and cured. YET….YET….ALL PEOPLE STILL DIE. Eventually, something is going to take your life. It may be cancer, it may be a bullet, it may be a faulty bridge. Rest assured, it WILL be something. So be it. If we live for the next world, then the freak accident that ends our life here won’t be something we continually fear, nor even dread. I’m not saying to live recklessly…but I AM saying to live a life of simple trust and faith in a Sovereign God…..then let the chips (or bridges) fall where they may. If tomorrow is your appointed day of death, all the civil engineers in the world can’t change it. And if tomorrow is NOT your appointed day, then an atom bomb dropped in your living room won’t be able to take your life. One of my favorite verses in Scripture is Psalm 139:16, “In Your book were all written the days that were ordained for me, when as yet there was not one of them. (Psalms 139:16 NASB)

Incidentally, I’m not saying that if someone you know loses a loved one to a freak accident you should respond by telling them, “Too bad, I guess it was just God’s appointed day for them.” While that may be true, we need to be sensitive to the moment, and to a person’s understanding of God before we make such matter of fact statements. But this is the mindset, that should govern the Christian’s life. Trust in God, and focus on the unseen, eternal world. Jesus taught the same thing, in the following passage:

“Now on the same occasion there were some present who reported to Him about the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mixed with their sacrifices. And Jesus said to them, ‘Do you suppose that these Galileans were greater sinners than all other Galileans because they suffered this fate? I tell you, no, but unless you repent, you will all likewise perish. Or do you suppose that those eighteen on whom the tower in Siloam fell and killed them were worse culprits than all the men who live in Jerusalem? I tell you, no, but unless you repent, you will all likewise perish.’” (Luke 13:1-5 NASB)

The people of Jesus’ day assumed that tragedies only befell those under God’s judgment. Our society does the exact opposite. Unwilling to cope with a God of Justice, our society sees every catastrophe as a strike against innocent victims. While Jesus explodes the myth that bad things only happen to bad people, he also points out that in reality, there is nothing but bad people. In other words, rather than dwell on the earthly tragedy that took the life….Jesus focuses our attention on the eternal reality that we are all sinners in need of repentance, who are careening towards an eternal judgment, far worse than any national disaster. Unless we repent, turn from our sin, and place our faith in Jesus Christ alone as Lord of our life…..we will all likewise perish. Though the tragedy may not be a fallen tower, nor a collapsed bridge….we will ultimately perish in eternal Hell. And that really should be the greater concern, should it not?

Heartfelt sympathies and prayers should go out to those in Minneapolis who lost a loved one in this tragedy. Losing someone is never easy. Losing someone under such bizarre circumstances is even harder. But God is big enough to see them through. My hope is that this will once again make people stop and think about how fleeting life is…and about the reality of a world beyond. That bridge you cross tomorrow may collapse. If it does, will you be ready to stand before your Maker? Do you live everyday, walking the narrow road (Matthew 7:13-14) behind Jesus Christ? If so, then fear not. God is in control of your life…but your life will still end someday. God knows that day, in fact he has appointed it. The circumstances that take your life might be “of the devil”…but it’s a Sovereign God who is in ultimate control and allows, ordains, and works all things “after the counsel of His will.” (see Ephesians 1:11) If Christ is your Lord, then rest easy and sleep well tonight. Your days may be numbered…but your eternity is sealed. Fight the urge to worry and fret about your safety….and place total trust in your Sovereign King who still exercises complete control, over a broken, shattered, and dying world.