To bridge the gaps

What causes paths to cross and people to meet, so often by mere seconds or fleeting moments, which might never have been had they occurred seconds sooner or later?

In his celebrated novel, The Bridge of San Luis Rey, Thornton Wilder relives the events leading to the death of five strangers, who plunge from a collapsed bridge in the Peruvian highlands.  A 6th character, Brother Juniper, witnesses the event and so becomes entailed in its drama, but after faithfully recording the event and every other event that brought those fated lives together, he finds himself at odds with the inquisition. Gladly a copy of his records survived.

In my own writing I have met so many fascinating people, who came along at just the right moment to add a vital thought here or an anecdote there, so ensuring that, like the bible, the resulting works reflected the mosaic of life and the God-ordained interactions between otherwise unrelated characters on the stage of life. However, beyond that, shared needs, circumstances and interests initiated other relationships, in church, society, business and in passing, some of which have endured for a lifetime.

What caused their lives to intersect with mine is such delicate moments, both in physical and spiritual terms? How did God cause our paths to cross in a moment when I so needed inspiration and where they in turn had so much to give and receive?

They say that if you stand at Picadilly Circus for more than 15 minutes, you will meet someone you know. How amazing is that? Now we are all connecting through social networks and finding our own virtual street corners to engage, share our thoughts, renew friendships and swop memories.

When we reach heaven we will find that the stuff we most prize here, is used to pave thee roads there, whilst the treasure we most neglect here is priceless there - I refer to relationships, because that is the most vital and enduring value of God's kingdom. Its not about knowledge or things or assets or our accomplishments, its all about the connectedness of lives, in what even the Apostle Paul regarded as a great mystery.

It reflects how God relates to us and why He places us in families, churches and community - because, when all our theology has been and gone, and even faith or hope has run its course, all that will stand and endure forever, is the love that binds us together in Christ.

(c) Peter Eleazar @ www.groundwon.blogspot.com