Be Faithful until death and I will
give you the crown of life” (Rev. 2:10).
Hey Gang: One
of the very neat things about writing the morning messages is the research that
is involved in seeking those subject areas that will provide growth,
encouragements and a ‘poke in the ribs’ in the morning to get your day started
on the right foot. And, every once in a while I run across a ‘wower’, one
that really sets my feet a dancing.
I happen to come
from Altoona, Pennsylvania, known during the Second World War as number three
on Hitler’s hit list. You see, all the east – west movement of goods by
train had to go around the horseshoe curve located just North of Altoona.
So, trains were a major part of my early years; I loved to see the old coal
burning engines, sometimes three in tandem to give the power needed to push the
trains to the top of the mountain.
Knowing my love for
trains, my Bride brought to my attention the following devotional from the
Daily Guideposts 2013, written by Daniel Schantz. I realize that this may
come as a great surprise to you, but not all of the morning messages are original
with me. As a matter of fact very few are, but as I read the Word, I find
that Jesus and the prophets used materials from the Old Testament writers in
their ministry.
The story was about
a student who, like many kids who leaving home for the first time are like the
prodigal, and their lives are similar to the ‘train wreck’. (He is what I
refer to as a ‘fringe operator’; he knows that what he is experimenting with is
not one his mom would approve, but then again experiencing them will come in
handy down the road when he hits the real clinkers in his life. Gramps)
Back to Daniel’s
writing: This set me to thinking about all the train terminology in our
language. All aboard means to
commit to a project. Making the
grade is about measuring a task. A whistle stop is a short break from work. A birth is an easy, high-paying job”. Sidetracked means to be distracted from your real job and Caboose means you are in last
place.
Daniel also
received a letter from a very distraught lady telling him her husband had died
and left her penniless. She had no skills to sell to an employer, so she
had committed to go back to school and equip herself for the job market.
She wrote “I know I am on the right train and the train is on the right track,
but where it is taking me, I do not have a clue.”
Now I ask you, is
that not a perfect example of faith? I certainly can identify with her
plight. Are we not all aboard
for heaven?” Our Conductor is God. The road to heaven is like that
mountain grade that needs the helping
hand of several pusher engines.
And are there
not times when we get sidetracked with
the non essential bangles and beads of this world and forget to take a whistle stop to get back on the heaven
bound train. Is not each bend in then road a mystery filled with
excitement, filled with new vistas and fresh challenges?
Soooo, listen
up my friends and neighbors, the most productive thing we can do on the railway of life is just to keep pouring
the coal to the burner- with the Holy Spirit and God’s Word- until we arrive at
our eternal home. It matters little whether we are in a berth or in the caboose. The main things is to be faithful to our Lord in all
that we say and do and not waste the time He has given us..
Blessings, Gramps
PS from Gma: Some
of you may remember this chorus we used to teach in VBS and SS- The Gospel Train
Oh, I’m traveling on the
Hallelujah Line on the good old Gospel Train.
I’m on the right track and I
never will go back to the station of sin again.
I need no fare, I’m riding on a
pass ‘tis the blood for sinners slain.
I’m on the right track and I
never will go back to the station of sin again!
No comments:
Post a Comment