"Will You Cross the Bridge?"

On Sunday we looked at the first of six vantage points the Bible gives us of the cross: The cross is like a relationship being reconciled. Jesus on the cross provided a bridge that makes possible reconciliation between us and God, others and ourselves.

On Monday, someone from the church called me. She gave me permission to share her story. She said:

"Sunday after the service I was with my husband and grown children in the teen room having the burrito lunch. As we were eating we were talking about the service. I shared with my family that when we were praying at the end of the service, God showed me that I needed to let Christ's cross bring reconciliation between me and my mom. My family then began to talk about how they too felt hurt and alienated by my mom. We all began to talk about how we knew God was telling us we needed to trust him to do something about this broken relationship, but we all agreed we did not know what to do.

It was at that point that I realized that I had unknowingly called someone on my cell phone. I noticed my phone was on and so I picked it. I then realized someone was listening. "Hello," I said. I then heard my mom's voice say, "This is your mom and I have heard everything you've said." And then she hung up.

I went home, but mom was not there (her mother lives with them). Later that night my mom came home.

I said, "Mom, can we talk?"

"No," She said, "I have been so upset that my blood pressure has sky-rocketed and I can't deal with this right now."

I said, "Mom, we are going to deal with it now because if we don't do it now we never will."

I went on to share every question and every hurt I have had standing between me and my mom since I was a little girl. I then explained to my mom how much I loved her and how I was not blaming her, but how if we did not talk about our past that I feared my heart would grow colder and colder toward her.

Then, my mom did what I never dreamed would have been possible. She heard me. She really heard me. Then she shared her hurt and what had been done to her as a child and how she then passed that on to me. She apologized. I had never heard my mom apologize.

I then apologized for her for holding on to hurt and bitterness.

I know it sounds like some movie, but it was real. For the first time since I was a little girl, my mom and I came back together. We cried. We hugged. We finally understood each other. Just that quick, God brought reconciliation to what I thought could never be reconciled."

I want to thank this sister in Christ for letting me share her story. I know God used her story to speak to me and show me a bridge I need to cross so that he can bring reconciliation.

Friends, our Sister's story is the kind of story Jesus died to make possible. The only question is, will you and I cross the bridge and let him reconcile us to God, others and ourselves.