Story 002 - The Bridge

There once was a turntable bridge which spanned a large river.  During most of the day, the bridge sat parallel with the river bank, allowing ships to pass freely on both sides.  But when a train came along, the bridge would be turned sideways across the river, allowing the train to cross.  A switchman sat in a small shack on one side of the river where he operated the controls to turn the bridge and lock it into place before the train crossed.
 
One evening, as the switchman turned the bridge for an approaching train, he found, to his horror, that the locking control didn't work.  If the bridge was not locked into position securely, it would wobble back and forth, causing the train to jump the track and crash into the river.

To make matters worse, this particular train was a passenger train with many souls on board.  Keeping the bridge across the river, the switchman hurried from his shack to a manual lever at the other end of the span.  As he took hold of the lever he could feel the vibrations of the oncoming train.  With just moments to spare, he leaned on the lever to apply pressure and keep the mechanism locked.  Many lives would depend on this man's strength.
 
Suddenly, from the direction of his control shack, he heard a shout that made his blood run cold: "Daddy, where are you?"  His four year old son was crossing the bridge to look for him.  His first impulse was to cry out to the child, "Run, Run!" but he realized the train was too close and the tiny legs would never make it across the bridge in time.
 
The switchman almost let go of the lever.  He wanted to run, snatch up his son, and carry him to safety, but he realized he could not get back to the lever in time.  Either the people on the train or his little son must die.  He had but a split second to make his decision.
 
The train sped safely and swiftly on its way.  No one aboard was aware of the tiny, broken body thrown mercilessly into the river by the rushing train.  Nor were they aware of the pitiful figure of a sobbing man clinging tightly to the lever long after the train had passed.  They didn't see him walking home - more slowly than he had ever walked to tell his wife how he had sacrificed her son.
 
To bridge the gap between us and eternal life, God also sacrificed a son.  Speed not through life without thought of what was done for us through the life and death of Jesus Christ.

by Jeff French