The gospel train is coming,
I hear it close at hand,
I hear the car wheels moving,
And rumbling through the land.
Get on board, little children,
Get on board, little children,
Get on board, little children,
There’s room for many a more.
The railways brought great freedom of movement to many. How long before there was no room for ‘many a more’ on board some of those early trains? Even in the XXI Century, two hundred miles of sitting on the floor is uncomfortable – indeed, even twelve miles on the floor is uncomfortable, as I was reminded last week. But I survived and arrived.
I’m not sure the Gospel Train promises everyone a first class seat all the way, with free drinks and nibbles. But we can trust the driver!
Of course the analogy breaks down if we persist with it. Not every passenger on our morning commute wants to be there; some spread their bags over seats when others are standing; most avoid eye contact, while a child and parent talking can seem positively irritating!
But ‘unless you be converted, and become as little children, you shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven… And he that shall receive one such little child in my name, receiveth me. ’ (Matthew 18:3,5)
Some train guards really do make the children welcome, talking to them as valued passengers, issuing blank tickets for them to punch themselves. And indeed, however grumpy we feel, we should not use our luggage to deny someone else a place to sit down.
That bit of the analogy really does apply to everyday life, even if we never let the train take the strain.
MMB
agnellusmirror 