ATLANTA BRIDGES FALLING DOWN


Occasionally, when math homework is kicking my son’s butt, Michael will groan, “What’s the point?” I remember doing the same thing. “I’m going into ministry! How will dividing polynomial fractions ever help? WHAT’S THE POINT?”

These days, I can have the same thought pulling weeds or mowing the lawn. What’s the point? The weeds will only come back. The grass will need to be cut again next week. Sometimes the most mundane task can bring into question our purpose, significance, and meaning.

Often the drudgery of life pushes us to the “what’s the point?” brink. And with the onslaught of suffering and pain, we always enter the boxing ring fighting for answers to the very meaning of life.

Yesterday, a stretch of I-85 collapsed from the flames of an intense fire. An overpass fell beneath the heat. Thank God, nobody was hurt. But now there is chaos. Atlanta’s massive population growth has made our transportation infrastructure even more crucial. With one small stretch of a major artery taken out, the whole city is in turmoil.

I wondered if the people who built this bridge muttered, “What’s the point?” You design, plan, and build an almost indestructible bridge, and a mere fire takes it down. Are frustrated, cursing commuters echoing those same words? After all, if it’s not a bridge burning, it’s a semi overturning, a freak Cessna crash, or a half-inch of ice bringing us to our knees. What’s the point of our technology, our work, or our brake-light existence?

At some point, you’re gonna ask the same question. What’s the point?

On Sunday, we’ll take a shot at answering it.

In the book of Ecclesiastes, one of the smartest, richest, and most popular men to have lived says some 38 times, “Everything is meaningless.” Translation: “What’s the point?” You just want to give the guy a hug, don’t you? Solomon explores our angst to point us in the only direction with an answer.

Are you a skeptic about any “religious” answers? What’s your answer? Do you know a skeptic who struggles with “what’s the point”—and yet still has no solid answers?

Come to CCC on Sunday. It’s going to be a beautiful spring break Sunday to dig deeply into our very souls. Our text will be Ecclesiastes 1. I’m excited to teach this first installment of our six-week “Skeptics Welcome” series. No dividing polynomial fractions will take place. I promise.

Please reach out and invite a friend. Our explorations these next few weeks will be timely.

Blessings!

P.S.  And don’t forget…  (Please share this on social media!)

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