AfterWords: Some Bridges Need to Burn

 

I Kings 19:19-21

Conventional wisdom says, “Don’t burn your bridges!” Have something to go back to. Have someone to fall back on. Have an escape plan. We guard those bridges in case the job doesn’t work out, in case the relationship falls apart, in case the dream doesn’t quite come true.

The reading from I Kings 19 shows us in no uncertain terms that times come when we need to burn bridges. As the chapter opens, Elijah is facing some serious doubts and fears. All the prophets of God are being killed. He feels so very alone. This is the passage in which God promises to pass near to Elijah. A powerful wind, an earthquake, a fire all clamor by, and “after the fire came a gentle whisper” (v.11, 12). Elijah knows that God is in the whisper. While this passage is often preached and taught, and while knowing that God speaks in a “whisper” is important, the end of the chapter is where we focus—a little gem-of-a-passage where we learn that some bridges need to burn.

After the experience above, Elijah calls Elisha (as instructed by God) to be a prophet, and Elisha sets off to follow Elijah. As he is walking away from home, Elisha says to Elijah, “Wait…I want to tell my family goodbye.” He runs back to the farm and while there, he takes his precious oxen and slaughters them. He takes his priceless plow and harness, cuts them up, and sets them on fire. Then, he roasts the oxen meat over the fire and feeds everyone there. He throws a kind of ‘good-bye’ party.

Elisha burns his bridge—he slaughters his oxen and destroys his plowing equipment. Those are probably the only things of real value he has, and they are his way of making a living. He will face hard times just like Elijah—times of doubt and fear—but he will not be looking back towards home because he has burned the bridge that might take him back. Burning that bridge frees him to follow God without distraction, without looking over his shoulder. When things inevitably become difficult, instead of looking backwards, he will look forward towards God.

What are the bridges in our lives that distract us from following Jesus, that keep us from living life forward? They can be people, places, things, ideas, dreams…phone numbers, email addresses, social media contacts. “Bridges” in and of themselves are not bad things. They are problematic when we trust our bridges more than we trust God. Bridges can distract us from living where we are and living forward—we keep glancing back at them, checking on them, keeping them in good shape.

As people who trust in God, who trust in Jesus, we need to let some bridges burn. We need to trust in our forward-looking, forward-moving God rather in some bridge from the past. After all, we don’t really need bridges anyway—we trust in the One who walks on water. So, what bridges do you need to burn?

Sunday, September 8, 2024
“Some Bridges Need to Burn”
Watch/Listen: HERE