Repairing the Broken Bridges
Hello my friend, and welcome back to this amazing journey on A Miracle Every Day! A journey towards a new name and a new identity.
friend, have you ever had to repair a broken relationship? I certainly have! Recently, I got a letter from an old friend who was seeking to reestablish our friendship. Trust had been broken years ago, and he wanted to start over again. His letter, owning his part of the breakdown included these words: “Please, allow me this opportunity to grow.” Having had to express those same words to people that I have hurt, I was humbled and joyful to have my friend back in my life!
Following God’s instruction to return home, Jacob embarked on the arduous task of repairing the broken bridges he had created. In Genesis 32, we read this:
“He spent the night there, and from what he had with him he selected a gift for his brother Esau: two hundred female goats and twenty male goats, two hundred ewes and twenty rams, thirty female camels with their young, forty cows and ten bulls, and twenty female donkeys and ten male donkeys. He put them in the care of his servants, each herd by itself, and said to his servants, ‘Go ahead of me, and keep some space between the herds.’ He instructed the one in the lead: ‘When my brother Esau meets you and asks, “Who do you belong to, and where are you going, and who owns all these animals in front of you?” then you are to say, “They belong to your servant Jacob. They are a gift sent to my lord Esau, and he is coming behind us.”’” (Genesis 32:13-17, NIV)
Jacob’s strategic act of sending gifts ahead to his estranged brother Esau was a costly and humbling gesture.
Truthfully, it WAS a way of saying, “PLEASE DON’T KILL ME!” This action reveals a significant shift in Jacob’s character. The self-serving trickster was now willing to invest resources and vulnerability in the hope of reconciliation!
Repairing broken relationships is rarely easy. It often involves swallowing our pride, admitting our wrongdoings, and facing the potential for rejection. It requires courage to revisit painful pasts and to extend an olive branch, even when the other person may not be receptive.
Jacob’s willingness to pay the price, both literally and emotionally, underscores the importance of taking concrete steps towards healing fractured connections.
friend, consider the broken bridges in your own life.
Are there relationships that have been strained or severed due to past hurts or misunderstandings? What steps, however small, could you take towards reconciliation? Perhaps it’s a heartfelt apology, a listening ear, or a simple gesture of goodwill. Remember that the act of reaching out, even if the outcome is uncertain, is itself an act of obedience and a step towards personal and relational healing.
Take a moment and prayerfully consider one broken bridge in your life. Ask God for wisdom and courage to take a step towards repair. It might not be easy, and it might hurt, but the willingness to mend what is broken reflects a heart that is being transformed by God’s grace!
Let me pray for your courage and boldness to rebuild a bridge:
Jesus, You are the ultimate reconciler. I bring before you the broken relationships in our lives, the bridges that have fallen into disrepair. Grant us both, the humility to acknowledge our part in the hurt and the courage to reach out in love and forgiveness. Guide our steps as we seek to mend what has been fractured, trusting in your power to bring healing and restoration. Amen.
Never forget my friend… You are a miracle!
