A preacher was driving home one night with his wife and two daughters in the car. It was raining and dark and because of the intensity of the rain, he could hardly see past his headlights. On the way, he had to drive over a huge bridge. There were signs posted all along the bridge that said “DO NOT PICK UP HITCH-HIKERS.”

There was an institution for the criminally insane near the base of the bridge and sometimes people would escape from it and try to hitch a ride. On this particular night, as he turned his car onto the bridge, he had to drive exceptionally slow because he could hardly see the road. Somewhere near the top of the bridge a man suddenly appeared in the headlights. He was soaked, standing in the middle of the road with his shirt off frantically waving it over his head and screaming.

This preacher’s wife began to say, “Oh please don’t stop, try to drive around him!”

But the man was unavoidable and there was nowhere for the car to go to miss him. So he had to stop the car and, as soon as he did, the man slapped his hand down on the hood of the car and was screaming at the top of his lungs. The preacher looked over at his wife and said to lock the door after him and not to unlock it until he returned.

His family was now crying and pleading with him not to get out of the car. He opened the door and stepped outside. He was immediately soaked from the rain. As he approached the front of the car to grab the man, all of a sudden he could make out what the man was screaming, “The bridge is out! The bridge is out! A busload of kids just went over!”

As these words registered in the pastor’s mind, he looked back in the car at his wife and two daughters. He wrapped his arm around the man and wept in gratitude. The preacher stood there with the man for the next half-hour in the middle of the road, waving his jacket above his head screaming.”THE BRIDGE IS OUT! THE BRIDGE IS OUT!”

For a lost and dying world, “THE BRIDGE IS OUT!”

For a people heading to a Christless eternity, “THE BRIDGE IS OUT!”

Where are the men and women who will stand in the middle of the road and prevent people from perishing? Hell has opened its mouth wide and many are rushing into it. Where are those who will stand in the gap, on the streets, the highways and the byways to restrain the multitudes from going to such a horrible place with the gospel of Jesus Christ?

Author Unknown

Meditation: But if the watchman sees the sword coming and does not blow the trumpet, and the people are not warned, and the sword comes and takes any person from among them, he is taken away in his iniquity; but his blood I will require at the watchman’s hand.’ – Ezekiel 33:6

You will succeed in Jesus Name!

Also read:

The Lost Wallet
Heaven and Hell
Purpose: Sent to Seek and Save the Lost