This Week in History: London Bridge is Falling Down
OK, sing with me:
London Bridge is falling down,
Falling down, falling down.
London Bridge is falling down,
My fair lady.
What in the world is that all about?
NO ONE KNOWS. Go ahead and spend your day reading the different theories (Who is that lady? And why is she fair?), but you’ll discover no definitive answer exists. (I can, however, tell you who shot JFK.)
There is a London Bridge—and yes, it has fallen down. What do you do when London Bridge is falling down?
- Destroy it. Actually, there have been several London bridges. Some were
destroyed by fire. - Repair it. The London Bridge built during medieval times had, at one time, up to 200 buildings on it. Over time, they made renovations, removed the buildings, and modified the arches. But renovations can only go so far, so the old bridge finally had to be removed and replaced by the “new” London Bridge in 1831.
- Give it a whole new life. By the 1960s, the new London Bridge was not so new; it had seen better days. Even worse, it was slowly sinking into the Thames. It had to go.
But instead of facing destruction, the London Bridge was given a whole new purpose and life. It was bought and moved stone by stone to … Arizona! And on October 10, 1971, the bridge was rededicated and become the centerpiece of Lake Havasu City, Arizona. It is now one of the top tourist attractions for the state.
Our lives are like that bridge. We are falling down. and like the bridge, we have the same options.
Destruction. We don’t have to do a thing for this one. We are destined for destruction (Rom. 6:23).
Repair. This is the route most of us try. We attempt self-improvement, but we never really succeed. Destruction still ultimately awaits.
A whole new life. Robert McCulloch purchased the London Bridge and repurposed it. He had the bridge completely rebuilt, stone by stone. Jesus Christ purchased us with His own life. He has no intention of a mild renovation; instead, His plan is to make us completely new, completely rebuilt as we were created to be.
“He has saved us and called us to a holy life—not because of anything we have done but because of his own purpose and grace. This grace was given us in Christ Jesus” (2 Tim. 1:9).
Thanks to Jesus, I am no longer falling down.
