Bridge Out (The New City Catechism #5)

 The fifth question and answer in The New City Catechism focuses on the truth that God is the creator of all and that when he first created the world everything was good and flourished under his loving rule: “What else did God create? Answer: God created all things by his powerful Word, and all his creation was very good; everything flourished under his loving rule.”

Part of what this answer focuses on is that when a person is part of God’s kingdom, this is how they can thrive. In other words, when we follow God this is the way of blessing.

The following story is from a series of stories about a realm of talking animals I wrote years ago to explain the kingdom of God to our children. It is called “Bridge Out!” and helps reveal to us a very practical way that following our king is of help to us.

I hope you and your family enjoy this.

    The whole kingdom of Thurrhema was shocked by the morning headline: Café Couple Killed. Max, a German Shepherd dog and his wife Hope, a yellow Labrador, had plunged into the James river ravine in their buggy and died!  This couple had just sent off their youngest puppy to school and they were looking forward to running their cafe in town and also doing some of the things that they had always wanted to do together, but never had the time.  One of those things was travel.  So, one day they got their horse and buggy out, left the cafe in the hands of some of their trustworthy help, and took off through the countryside. 

     It was a beautiful spring day. The birds were singing, the sky was a wonderful blue with hardly a cloud in it, and the fresh scent of spring was in the air.  Both Max and Hope lifted their noses in the air and smelled the delightful aromas that they had missed over the long winter months.  They thought to themselves, "What a day to be out and taking a ride!"

     They decided to go west out of town and through the winding roads which led to the James River ravine.  Just pass the gully there were some of the most beautiful rolling hills in the land.  They had always enjoyed seeing these hills--especially this time of year as trees were turning green and flowers were clothed in summer colors.

     What the couple didn't realize, though was that the king, Melek, had commissioned a herd of elephants and a construction crew of beavers to work together to replace the bridge going over the river.  The bridge had seen a lot of use over the years and the king was concerned for the safety of those traveling the road.  So, with the last of the cold winter days in the past, they had torn down the bridge and put signs up all along the road saying, Caution!  Bridge Out!  and Stop!  Dangerous Construction!  But Max and his wife Hope didn't pay any attention to the signs.  They just kept right on with their ride. What's more, the Thurrhema newspaper had carried a story telling about the bridge and its repair and cautioning people not to go down that road.  But, poor Max and Hope rarely read the paper.  They felt they were just too busy. 

     So, on they traveled, through the winding roads.  It may have not ended in disaster for the couple if the road leading to the ravine was straight and flat or if the road descended down a hill overlooking the bridge.  But that was not the case.  The road led up to the bridge and wound through some trees until you traveled up over a hill and then you were right at the bridge.  By the time they came up over the hill (and they always like to have the horse gallop at this point) it was too late to stop.  Poor Max and Hope dove right over the cliff deep into the ravine.  If only they would have read and obeyed!

Note To Parents:  Read Joshua 1:8: “This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success.” 

   Explain to your children that God wants us to read his Bible each day, learn what is says, and obey it.  If we don't, we are like Max and Hope in the story:  We will eventually get hurt.

Prayer:  God, thank you that you've given us your teachings in the Bible.  Thank you that you've warned not to do things that will hurt us and you have taught us the things which will make us happy.  Help us to learn what the Bible teaches and obey it.