London Bridge is Falling Down: How can we be sure that what we trust in is safe?

Do not be afraid or discouraged, for the Lord will personally go ahead of you. He will be with you; he will neither fail you nor abandon you.

—Deuteronomy 31:8

I cringe (and pray!) every time I have to drive through the arch created when a March wind storm blew one tree over to rest in the limbs of another. But sometimes I make light of the situation, saying the trees are playing London Bridge.

Are you familiar with the children’s singing game? Two children join hands high to form an arch while others march through, each holding onto the waist of the one in front of them. Either the bridge makers or all the children sing:

London Bridge is falling down,

Falling down, falling down,

London Bridge is falling down,

My fair lady.

At the last word, the children forming the bridge quickly lower their arms to capture a prisoner. The song continues with more stanzas like “Get the key and lock her up.”

I have fond memories of playing the game with my siblings and cousins, laughing when I was part of the fallen bridge that captured a prisoner. Now when I approach the foreboding tree arch, I shudder at the thought of being captured. I breathe a quick prayer and accelerate my way through.

I remember that one stanza of London Bridge starts with “Build it up with iron bars.” Iron was a common bridge building material, but now most bridges are constructed with steel and concrete. I trust those materials every time I drive across a bridge.

But “Iron bars will bend and break,” the next stanza tells us. It’s scary, but true. Given enough stress, heavy building materials can bend and break and what we trust in can fall. Wikipedia lists more bridge failures than I can count, yet I still drive over bridges.

How can we be sure that what we trust in is safe?

According to Encyclopedia Britannica, in the original game of London Bridge, each prisoner paid a forfeit, perhaps linked to the old folk superstition that a bridge would only stand after the death of a sacrifice. Such a gory thought, but it gave me pause.

Will what we trust in stand the test of time? Ourselves, our work, our family, friends, or doctors? Can we be sure that our stronghold will stand, even under pressure?

The Bible says, “The Lord is good, a stronghold in the day of trouble; he knows those who take refuge in him” (Nahum 1:7).

No matter the stresses of life, “Do not be afraid or discouraged, for the Lord will personally go ahead of you. He will be with you; he will neither fail you nor abandon you” (Deuteronomy 31:8).

Have you chosen the Lord as Your stronghold?

Jesus said “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me” (John 14:6).

He is the sure bridge to the Father made possible by His death sacrifice. Sin separates us from God, but Jesus paid the price for our sin by His death on the cross. He bridged the gap to save mankind from being eternally separated from God. He is the bridge that will stand the test of time. When we admit we are sinners and accept His sacrifice on our behalf, we are set free from the prison of our sin and receive eternal access to the Father in Heaven.

Won’t you accept Jesus’s free gift today?

Please pray with me:

Dear Jesus, I admit that I am a sinner, but I believe that You died on the cross to pay the penalty for my sins. Thank You for Your ultimate sacrifice. I accept Your free gift of salvation today. Thank You for giving me everlasting life! I look forward to spending eternity with You in Heaven. Until then, help me to live as one who has been set free from the prison of my sin. May I trust You all the days of my life, for You are my stronghold and my refuge. You will personally go before me. Whether through a tree arch or other perilous situation of life, You will never fail me. Amen.