“The shortest distance between two points is a straight line.” –Archimedes, Greek Mathematician
In southern Louisiana, there is a gigantic tidal estuary known as Lake Pontchartrain that separates the city of New Orleans and several of the surrounding parishes. For as long as people have been living around the lake, they have dreamed of ways to shorten the time it takes to get from one side to the other. In the 1800s, that meant taking ferries, a practice that continued into the 20th century. Then in the post-war 40s, an effort to build a bridge across the lake began to shape.
Yesterday’s featured story from the Gospel of Matthew tells of how after feeding the 5000, Jesus instructed his disciples to head in a boat to the other side of the Sea of Galilee. Boats don’t travel in straight lines. Winds, currents, obstacles, and so many other factors keep boats from going straight. When the boat the disciples were sailing encountered some strong winds during the night, who knows how far they might have been blown off course? But, in the morning, here came Jesus walking straight towards them, across the water.
What is blowing you off course today or keeping you from reaching your destination? How might it help to know that God is still coming straight for you?
On August 30, 1956, 65 years ago today, the Lake Pontchartrain Causeway opened to traffic and became a straight line across the waters. This 23.8 mile-long structure has remained the longest continuously spanning bridge in the world, an impressive testament to the value of a straight line. May it continue to be a reminder of God’s wisdom and promise at work within the human spirit.
May God’s peace come to you this day. -Pastor Peter
Let us pray…Gracious God, we have blown off course in so many ways. For those who feel lost, come. Help us to trust that your path to us remains straight. Amen.