The town I live in is separated from the neighboring town by a good sized river. 

It’s not the Mississippi but i believe it is the largest river in the state. In order to cross this river there is one bridge in the area. Being the only bridge connecting the 2 towns, every year there is a “Battle of the Bridge”, which is where the high school football teams from both towns play. The winner of the game is deemed, the winner of the bridge. It’s a fun tradition going back for years. 

Within the last 5 years or so, the old bridge was finally replaced with a nice, new bridge. It’s wider and lit up nicely at night. And more importantly, it doesn’t make you question your sanity for crossing it like the old one did. 

My family and I don’t have a need to cross this bridge every day, but we do drive past it often enough. It’s only a mile or so from my house situated off of the main road through town. 

Inevitably, when we pass the bridge my 3 yr old son will ask if we can cross “my new bridge”. 

One night, around 8:00, it was just my son and I driving towards this bridge in order to get to our pharmacy. Of course he asks his question as we’re sitting at the red light at the base of the bridge. “Can we cross my bridge?”  My response was something along the lines of “not right now bub, maybe another time”. After all, I had to get to the pharmacy before it closed. 

As we drove on I saw him in my mirror just looking out of the window and I thought, after the pharmacy, if he wants to cross that bridge, then we are crossing that bridge. 

Sure enough, when we came back to the bridge and stopped at the red light, he asked again “Daddy, can we cross my bridge now?”

Little did he know I was already in the turn lane to cross his bridge. 

We start up the bridge to the sound of his hands clapping and as we get to the top I see him struggling to look out the window and down at the water. He was excited just for the view, and he was happy to discover that we just had to turn around and cross it again. I’m pretty sure he had a smile on his face for the rest of the 5 minute trip home. 

I will always provide what my children need. And when I can, I’ll provide what they want, as long as it isn’t harmful to them. 

God does the same for us. He provides for our needs. At times he blesses us with more.

He delights in us (Psalm 18:19). He smiles when we smile. Sometimes He finds joy in the detours. But He always tries to keep us on track and going in the right direction. 

A lot of Jesus’ ministry was detour requests of His children. His sole purpose on this earth was to die for the sins of everyone, yet he was constantly detoured by request of healing or feeding the crowd or raising the dead. 

He took these detours, not because it was required to fulfill His mission, but because His children asked It of Him. 

I know at times he got frustrated. His mission was to lead people back to God through his sacrifice. Yet he wasn’t constantly being pulled in different directions. 

“Lord, my daughter is sick.”

“If you had come sooner, my brother would still be alive.”

“The people are hungry, what are we going to do?”

“They are out of wine.”

“I just wanted to touch the hem of your robe.”

But he took the time to fulfill their requests, because he loved them. What was important to them, was important to him. Even if it detoured him from his mission briefly. He found joy in the detours. 

So, go the extra mile. 

Help others. 

Take the detour. 

Cross that bridge.

-Clay Wise