“Then [Jacob] dreamed, and behold, a ladder was set up on the earth, and its top reached to heaven; and there the angels of God were ascending and descending on it” (Genesis 28:12).
The Lake Pontchartrain Causeway in Louisiana is the world’s longest, continuous highway bridge over water. The Causeway is made of two parallel bridges that are supported by more than 9,500 concrete pilings. The first span was completed in 1956, and the second in 1967. The longer of the two bridges is 23.83 miles long.
For decades Guinness World Records listed the Causeway as the longest bridge over water in the world. But in July 2011, it listed the Jiaozhou Bay Bridge in China as the longest bridge over water. A controversy erupted regarding the term “over water,” so Guinness later created two new bridge categories, one for over water (continuous) and one for over water (aggregate) since the bridge in China covers only 16.1 miles over water.
A much greater span was bridged between heaven and earth by Jesus. When sin created a gulf between God and humanity, Christ offered to cross the dark and treacherous space and reconnect our world with the Creator. The plan of salvation opened a causeway to heaven once more.
When Jacob ran from home to escape his brother’s threats, God gave the fugitive a dream of this vast bridge. He assured the lonely traveller that He was reachable. Jacob saw a type of bridge stretching from earth to heaven, with angels ascending and descending on it. The Lord not only reaffirmed His promise to multiply the seed of Jacob and give him the land on which he lay sleeping, but also said, “I am with you and will keep you wherever you go” (Genesis 28:15).
No span is so wide that God cannot reach across it to touch your life. No gap is so great, no gorge so deep, no valley so wide, and no expanse of water so vast that the Lord is limited in saving you. Jesus is the bridge over the most troubled waters and can reach you, even when you are running from home.
Lord Jesus, thank You for reaching down to this dark world with the light of Your saving love.
For Further Study: Gen. 28:10–22; Psalm 18:16; 139:1–12; John 1:51