The GWB Has Been Lit Up

I was driving this past weekend to New Jersey and had to use the George Washington Bridge (GWB) to get there.  Oddly enough there was more traffic coming back home later at night than there was going there earlier in the evening.  Can't figure this NY traffic out. 

When you approach and drive across the GWB at nighttime its picturesque.  You probably have seen many photographs and posters of this bridge lit up beautifully in the blanket of darkness.  Its a nice sight from a distance and even driving on it at night it looks nice.  Then you drive across the same bridge during the daytime and the view isn't as good. 

On Saturday morning when I was driving across to New Jersey, for some reason, I noticed the filth and mess on the roadway, signs, structure, etc. on the bridge like never before.  I wondered how beautiful this same bridge looked all lit up at night but now how dirty and ugly it really is when the light of the sun shines brightly on the entire bridge. 

First of all, I wondered where does all this toll money go?  Can't they use some of it to keep one of the busiest bridges in the world looking decent - ALL THE TIME?  Another battle for another day! 

Sometimes we handle ourselves like this too, don't we? When all around is dark & quiet we shine the lights in certain ways and into specific areas to give off the impression that all is OK & life looks good.  Other people start staring and admiring the "beauty" of our lives. They make examples of us and frame it and posterize it.  We usually don't shine the lights on the dirty areas of our life.  Leave that to the light that radiates from the Son of God and His glory. 

When that light shines on us, our true self and dire situations are exposed.  We can control where we point the spotlights in our life, but we can't control where God shines His light in our life.  His light shines throughout.  We can give off the "image" of looking all put together but we're really filthy, broken, and hurting inside.  We are struggling with sin, discouragement, hopelessness, defeat, and more.  But if we leave our hearts, minds, and lives open to have His light shine on us, He will reveal the "dirty" areas not to destroy us but to restore us to the beauty of His holiness. 

We might pay tons of money to cross the bridge and they don't maintain it properly.  But Jesus paid the complete price for us to cross over from the depths of despair & hell to the heights of love & heaven.  He is the bridge, He is beautiful.  Let Him shine on us and through us.  Christ in us makes us beautiful & holy! 

Enjoy The Ride,

Cecil