Are you afraid of bridges—like the gigantic marvels of steel that span two parts of land? Or how about the rickety rope kind in adventure movies that disintegrate as the main character frantically races over them?

In reality, there’s a legitimate phobia of bridges; it’s called gephyrophobia. Maybe you suffer from it, causing you to forgo adventurous hiking or causing your sweaty palms to tightly clutch the steering wheel as you nervously drive over a large body of water.

There’s one bridge that should provoke no anxiety in us—in fact, it’s crucial in our relationship with God. Because of our sin, we are separated from God by a barrier—a gaping chasm that we can’t cross. We simply can’t keep all of God’s laws perfectly to stand in his holy presence. 

But Ephesians 2:13-15 declares, “In Christ Jesus you who once were far away have been brought near by the blood of Christ. For he himself is our peace, who has made the two groups one and has destroyed the barrier, the dividing wall of hostility, by setting aside in his flesh the law with its commands and regulations. His purpose was to create in himself one new humanity out of the two, thus making peace.” Because Jesus was sinless and paid for our sins with his life, his cross is the bridge that brings us peace with God.

Gephyrophobes, fear no more. We all can walk with confidence across the bridge built by the cross of Jesus—the unshakeable and incorruptible bridge that leads to eternal life with God.