A Bridge Over Troubled Waters (Ken Ellis)

Tonight is the last of seven devotionals graciously donated by my good friend and brother, Ken Ellis! What a blessing he and his lovely wife, Pam, have been to me ans so many others. Please remember me in your prayers tonight as  my work in Vietnam continues!

Life is but a symphony of melodies composed of both beautiful and discordant sounds. It must be played with a vibrant intensity until the last note grows silent and the heart beats no more.

I have a deep, dark secret that I will share with you if you promise not to tell anyone.  When I grow up, I want to be an entertainer and, more specifically, a "singer,"   not just the karaoke type, but someone like a Roy Orbison, Ricky Nelson, or Neil Diamond.  And this dream from a guy who can't carry a tune in a moving van, much less a five gallon bucket.  If you don't believe me, just ask my wife or granddaughters when I launch into a classic like Stand By Me, Duke of Earl, or Pretty Woman, complete with moves; their looks tell it all.

Seriously, though, music often reflects an outward expression of what the inner heart is feeling. Take, for example, the lyrics of Simon and Garfunkel's Bridge Over Troubled Water:

When you're weary, feelin' small
When tears are in your eyes, I will dry them all.
I'm on your side, Oh, when times get rough
And friends just can't be found.
Like a bridge over troubled waters
I will lay me down.
When you're down and out, when you're on the street
When evening falls so hard, I will comfort you.
I'll take your part, Oh when darkness comes
And pain is all around
Like a bridge over troubled waters
I will lay me down. 

Yes, it's impossible to be human and completely avoid the troubled waters of life.  Like rain, they often come when least expected.  Sometimes they start out as a light drizzle, but before it's over they've become a torrential downpour that seeks to drown us with little chance of rescue. 

When times are rough, and we're in pain with no one to comfort us, Jesus becomes that bridge over troubled waters.  He takes us by the hand, lifts us up from the dark, murky depths of sin and despair and leads us to the safety of higher ground.  He's already walked on troubled waters, had his closest friends desert him in time of need and laid down his life for each of us. The following verses assure us of His faithfulness:

Psalm 27:5
For in the day of trouble he will keep me safe in his dwelling; he will hide me in the shelter of his sacred tent and set me high upon a rock.

Psalm 59:16
But I will sing of your strength, in the morning I will sing of your love; for you are my fortress, my refuge in times of trouble.

John 16:33
“I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.”

And as for my secret, well, let's just keep that between us for the time being.

God bless,

Steve
          Luke 18:1

www.hawleybook.com

E-mail me at steve@hawleybooks.com