These thoughts came to me when I was crossing a tram-track on my way home one day.
In John 14:6 it says; “Jesus answered, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” Where does your way go? That day, crossing the tram-tracks, I got pictures of a train and its trip through the landscape and at the same time I thought of life together with Jesus. And I thought of my self as the train and Jesus as the conductor.
Diesel-trains needs refuel every now and then to continue. To have a life with Jesus we need refuel, and we can get it by reading from His word. John 4:4, ”And Jesus answered him, saying, It is written, that man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word of God.” Sometimes trains need to be parked in a garage to get a overhaul. Our hearts need a overhaul too, and we can get it by going to church. There you can rest, relax and let the “conductor” take care of you. Matthew 11:28, “Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.”
Sometimes a train can derail. It can be total damaged. Then the conductor have to call for help, or he can choose to keep quiet. He might even refuse to get the help he’s offered, wanting to handle this himself. The fact is, in our Christian life, we all derail from God’s way, in a bigger or small extent, ever so often. Our heart can be broken and we can feel totally lost. But then God is there! Psalm 34:18, “The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit.” But you yourself have to let Him in to your heart. There is no handle on the outside. Revelations 3:20, “Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with that person, and they with me.”
In mountainous countries, like Norway, the trains sometimes goes through tunnels. It’s dark and you can’t see the other side, but only the light from the headlamps. In life it can kind of feel the same sometimes. It feels like you’re in total darkness and you can’t see the end of the problems. Let God be your light! Exodus 13:21, “By day the Lord went ahead of them in a pillar of cloud to guide them on their way and by night in a pillar of fire to give them light, so that they could travel by day or night.”
When you are through the tunnel, you might come out in a narrow valley. You can almost see the hill-sides coming down and you fear a rockslide. But don’t be afraid, trust God and His words in Psalm 23:4, “Even though I walk through the darkest valley, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me.”
After a steep climb uphill you will often get the most spectaular view over the landscape and it’s often a wonderful scenery. In the Christian life you can really feel like you are struggleing uphill. The top seems so far away and you feel like giving up. But you are not alone. “Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the Lord your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you.” Deutoronomy 31:6. When you have archived your goals, resisted the struggles, you most likely will get the one of the most fantastic experience with God!
Many conductors can have been on the same route for many years. They feel like it’s theirs route. They know every inch of it. When a new conductor is taking over he won’t know the route that well. He might want to speed up to get to the station faster, forgets that the next curve is too short, and something bad can happen. But even if that goes well, he might have to stop and wait because there is another train at the station at this time, that was on time, not too early, not too late. Because “There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens.” Ecclesiastes 3:1.
Who is the conductor of your “train”? In your life?
