Bridge Over Troubled Water.....

photo source

This morning I woke up absolutely weary. I was feeling weary in a physical sense due to illness, worry, and lack of sleep. I felt weary spiritually, emotionally, and mentally. I gathered up my gumption to get out of bed and tend to this days needs when all I really wanted to do was lay there, head under the covers and croon a snip of an old tune that says, "Make the world go away, get off of my shoulders!" The thought of the fact that both husband and daughter had climbed out of bed and gone to work, knowing they were both weary too, gave me strength to do the same. Although I did stay under the covers for a few minutes to just pray to be able to get through the day.

You know how on some days you just think you need God with skin on, that real person who reflects Him but has an audible voice to respond to your need, so you call up a friend? Well, that was what I thought I needed. I called one of my two amigos and got her answering machine, left a brief message and then dialed the other one to get no answer. A friend could just not be found at that particular moment. I turned to my friend who sticks closer than a brother (Proverbs 18:24) and told Him my need.

As I was working around the house a song kept coming to mind. I could only remember the first part but I could hear it plain as day as if Simon and Garfunkel were in my head, one playing the piano and the other singing. I usually don't like it when a song gets stuck in there as it takes up all my thinking. But today I just listened to it over and over and over. The words washed over me like a healing soothing balm for my tired heart, body, and spirit. I went to my computer and looked up the lyrics and then over to You Tube to hear it. It was there in the secular that I met the sacred.

The song, Bridge Over Troubled Water, was written by Paul Simon in 1969. It started as a modest Gospel hymn but became more dramatic as he put it together. He based the lyrics on a line, "I'll be your bridge over deep water if you trust in me.", by Swan Silvertones. This song was written about providing comfort to a person in need. Paul had his wife, Peggy, on his mind as he penned the lyrics. He said she was going through a trying time. This explains one mysterious line in the hymn, "Sail on Silvergirl, Sail on by", which refers to Peggy who had begun to have silver strands in her hair and was meant in jest. But, he tenderly follows that jest up with these words, "I'm sailing right behind you." , which in today's terms could be said as, "I've got your back. I'm behind you all the way. I believe in you."

Paul wrote this song for Art Garfunkel to sing. Art was reluctant and wanted Paul to sing it but finally agreed to try it. Art attempted the lead vocal on two occasions but he wasn't satisfied with the results. He went to St. Bartholomew's Church, at 109 E. 50th St., in Manhattan, two blocks from the recording studio and sat and thought about the song. That day he nailed the lead vocal. This song went on to be a huge success and has been recorded by many other famous artists.

Take a moment to soak in these lyrics:

When you are weary, feeling small,

When tears are in your eyes, I will dry them all;

I'm on your side, when times get rough

And friends just can't be found,

Like a bridge over troubled water

I will lay me down.

Like a bridge over troubled water

I will lay me down.

When you're down and out,
When you're on the street,
When evening falls so hard
I will comfort you.
I'll take your part.
When darkness comes
And pain is all around,
Like a bridge over troubled water
I will lay me down.
Like a bridge over troubled water,
I will lay me down.

Sail on silvergirl,
Sail on by.
Your time has come to shine.
All your dreams are on their way.
See how they shine.
If you need a friend
I'm sailing right behind.
Like a bridge over troubled water
I will ease your mind.
Like a bridge over troubled water
I will ease your mind.

I truly wanted to weep at the sweetness of this song as I pictured my forever friend, Jesus, serenading me with these soothing words.photo source

This song is full of Biblical references. Jesus became that bridge as He laid down His life for us (John 3:16). "Greater love has no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends. You are my friends..." (John 15:13-14) When we need a bridge to get across the waters of affliction Scripture says, " When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow you..." "Since you are precious in my sight...I have loved you...Fear not: for I am with you..." (Isaiah 43:1-5) He is that bridge over troubled water.

When tears are in our eyes, He will dry them all, "...and the Lord God will wipe away tears from off all faces.." (Isaiah 25:8) He deems our tears so precious that he collects them in a bottle, not one slips by unnoticed, He, "put my tears into His bottle..." (Psalm 56:8). He cares what sorrow or what joy caused them to flow.

The lyrics go on to say that when you are down and out, when darkness comes and pain is all around, I will comfort you, that is so like Jesus, it is exactly what He does. He give us light in our dark times, "For you are my lamp, O Lord, and the Lord will lighten my darkness." (2 Samuel 22:29) He also never leaves us without comfort, " I will pray to the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, (this refers to the Holy Spirit), that he may abide with you for ever." (John 14:16) "You shall...comfort me on every side." (Psalm 71:21)

You can almost feel the crescendo's climax in the final stanza of the song, Your time has come to shine, All your dreams are on the way, See how they shine. This is a picture of Isaiah 60 where Scripture begins, "Arise, shine; for thy light is come, and the glory of the Lord is risen upon thee." This chapter of the Bible talks about the abundant access we have in Him and through His word and offers hope of great blessings after a short affliction! Because that is what our troubles here are, light and momentary, even though they do not seem so as we walk through them. We are encouraged to not lose heart even when we feel we are wasting away, but are to renew our inward being day by day by fixing our eyes upon Jesus, the unseen, for what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal. (2 Corinthians 4:16-17) Focusing on Him, eases our mind.

When Art took his inability to get it right on his own to the church where he sat at the foot of the cross, fixing his attention on the meaning of the words and the act of Jesus becoming a bridge, something in him shifted. As he returned to the studio, it is quoted that he, "nailed the lead vocal." That is what we have to do too, nail those thoughts and feelings that are giving us trouble in dealing with our situation or circumstance to the cross and leave them there. Let Him bear the burden as we sail on by with Him right behind.

Maybe some of you are feeling weary too, times are rough, or pain seems to be all around, I invite you to rest in the One who has got your back, who is behind you all the way, who believes in you, who loves you so much He gave up His very life for you. Let Him carry you over the troubled water, let Him dry your tears, let Him ease your mind, and erase your fears. He will be your bridge over troubled water if you will trust in Him. I did.






Smooth Sailin',
Miss Sandy