The Battle of Berezina

In 1812 Napoleon was fleeing Russia after being defeated at the Battle of Krasnoi. The Grande Armee was outnumbered and being hotly pursued when they reached the Berezina River, in present day Belarus.

Bonaparte's plan was to cross the frozen river and continue his flight toward Poland and safety. However, the normally frozen waters (in November) of the Berezina had thawed and Napoleon's army was trapped.

A plan was quickly developed: One of the French Marshals would draw their pursuers away while the engineers went to work constructing a pontoon bridge so the army could cross the river. During the construction, many men succumbed to exhaustion and the freezing water and perished. In spite of these hazards, the work was completed and the French escaped certain destruction.

The call of Jesus to any and all of His disciples is a call to die. This calling to die isn't just for death's sake, it's for the sake of others. The men working on Napoleon's bridge sacrificed their lives building a bridge to safety. Christ's intent for His followers is that they would also give their lives in the work of building bridges so that others would find their way to safety.

Acknowledgements to John MacArthur's book Hard to Believe.