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The Train Ride By Colin Ogles We're all passengers on a metaphorical express train. Why are so few concerned about the destination?
here are many amazing trains in the world today, from the high-speed TGV trains of France to the bullet trains of Japan. And a magnetic levitation train designed and built in Germany is now in use in China. Most people have never had the opportunity to ride on any of these fast, modern trains, but I want to tell you about a train ride that is familiar to us all. This train is also very modern. It has many carriages, from first-class luxury to the very basic third class. In between these extremes is the economy class many of us travel by. The tracks the train runs on are wide and long. The journey for most of the passengers is a long one. Many hazards are to be found along the way before this train reaches the end of the journey. Dark tunnels, rivers, gorges, bridges and viaducts must be traversed. It passes through every town, city and country in the world.
The train has an observation carriage for passengers to view their progress. Those in the luxury carriages are much too busy to bother with observing where they are. Entertainment and making money are, to them, more important. However, a few of those from the economy and third class do make the effort to observe their progress. Quickly fading into the distance they can see where they've come from. And they can also see where they are now. But the observation carriage is located at the rear of the train, so they are unable to see where they are going. Unease about the driver and destination The driver is a handsome fellow who inspires confidence in all but a few of the passengers. He is in charge of the train, and he knows it. As the journey progresses, a few of the passengers begin to have some uneasiness about the destination, because it is not noted on their tickets. Discussions and arguments begin to affect some of the passengers. The conductors are unable to explain to the concerned passengers the exact nature of the destination. So they convey to the driver the uneasiness a few of the passengers feel. The driver laughs at this and eases open the throttle a little more, and the train continues to increase speed. He isn't going to slow down or stop for this minority. Besides, the majority is happy with his stewardship of the train.
A few passengers are not at all happy with this situation and, being unable to stop the train without majority help, jump off. They survive the ordeal a little battered and bruised but feel great relief. In the meantime the driver increases the speed. He isn't going to allow any more to get off. Still, a few more want to get off, but they keep delaying. They are afraid to jump because of the difficulties they may have to face, even though they know of the catastrophe lying ahead. Eventually, it happens. The driver sees the washed-out bridge, and he laughs and increases the speed even more! Needless to say, those who remain on the train all perish, except the driver. "Stop the world, I want to get off!" Well, I suppose you have worked out by now this train represents the society we live in today. In every age society has thought of itself as being modern. And in every age there have been people who felt uneasy about their society. The apostle Peter describes Lot's uneasiness this way: "For that righteous man, dwelling among them, tormented his righteous soul from day to day by seeing and hearing their lawless deeds" (2 Peter 2:8). Do you feel uneasy about where humanity is going? Have you heard the expression, "Stop the world, I want to get off?" Do you want to get off? Do you have the courage to get off? Because it does take courage, and there will be some difficulties.
But, why is it only a few passengers on the train jump to safety? Jesus tells us why. "Enter by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it. Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way [society makes it difficult] which leads to life, and there are few who find it" (Matthew 7:13-14). How true it is that only a few are prepared to make the effort to find God's true way of life. It's no wonder then Jesus tells us His Church is small. "Do not fear, little flock, for it is your Father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom" (Luke 12:32). Those in the luxury carriages are too busy to bother about where they are going. Life is good, and they have all they need -- or so they think! They find no need to get off the train.
The driver of the train is none other than the being who deceived Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden. It easy for him to deceive us as Paul explains: "For Satan himself transforms himself into an angel of light" (2 Corinthians 11:14). And being an angel, it is not possible for him to die. The revelation given to the apostle John by Jesus Christ has this to say about Satan. "So the great dragon was cast out, that serpent of old, called the Devil and Satan, who deceives the whole world; he was cast to the earth, and his angels were cast out with him" (Revelation 12:8-9). Yes, it's true. Like most of the people on the train were deceived, so this world is today. But, you don't need to be. If you would like to stop the world and get off, please download or request a free copy of the booklet . Its scriptural message can provide the emergency cord that will work for you. Copyright 2007 by United Church of God, an International Association All rights reserved. |
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Origin of article "The Train Ride"
Keywords: train metaphor out of the world apart
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