LIFE IS LIKE.............

LIFE IS LIKE ……..

As I continue my journey on life’s pathway I ponder what life is really like.  What can I compare my travels as a pilgrim to?  Life is moving too fast.  It seems only yesterday that I was young and carefree, no worries or concern about the years ahead.  The future stretched out before me with its goals and challenges, but my senior years were never in my thoughts as they were many years down the road.  Now I find that I will become a great grandmother this summer.  I thought my grandparents were so old, and in looking back at pictures I find they were younger than I am now in many of those family pictures.  What is life like?

I love trains, although I have never taken a long journey on one, only a short day trip a few years back.  I remember trains as a child visiting a farm that was apparently along a railroad track.  I remember the passenger trains going by and the faces in the windows.  I remember the sounds of the train whistles in the night as I fell asleep.  I remember my cousins who had train sets and could spend hours playing there.  My dream has always been to take a long trip by train.  Maybe a train trip through the Canadian Rockies, sleeping and eating in the fancy dining car would be nice.

So what is life like?  Life is like a mountain railroad, speeding through the years.  A person could stand maybe in the last car and watch the tracks behind them as the miles go by.  I could not find any history on this wonderful old hymn.  The origin of this song is murky.  Charles D. Tillman may have written the original lyrics, with M. E. Abbey (a Baptist minister in Georgia in the 1890s).

LIFE IS LIKE A MOUNTAIN RAILROAD

Life is like a mountain railroad with an engineer that’s brave; we must make the run successful from the cradle to the grave.  Watch the curves, the fills, the tunnels, never falter quail; keep your hand upon the throttle and your eye upon the rail.

Refrain:

Bless’d Savior, Thou will guide us, till we reach that blissful shore; where the angels wait to join us in Thy praise forevermore.

You will roll up grades of trial, you will cross the bridge of strife; see that Christ is your Conductor on this lightning train of life; always mindful of obstructions, do your duty, never fail; keep your hand upon the throttle and your eye upon the rail.

Refrain:

You will often find obstructions; look for storms of wind and rain; on a fill, or curve, or trestle, they will almost ditch your train; put your trust alone in Jesus; never falter, never fail; keep your hand upon the throttle, and your eyes upon the rail.

Refrain:

As you roll across the trestle, spanning Jordan’s swelling tide, you behold the Union Depot into which your train will glide; there you’ll meet the Superintendent, God the Father, God the Son, with the hearty, joyous, plaudit, “Weary pilgrim, welcome home!”

So what is life like?  Life is like that train upon there on the mountain, going around those mountain curves, with drops down the mountain on one side.  And as your walk with Jesus, always watch those curves ahead, and maybe there is a dark tunnel you must go through up ahead on the mountain.  But never take your eyes off your Conductor, Jesus Christ.  And keep your hands busy for Jesus.

Yes, there are going to be those steep grades of trials, and I find them coming more frequent now in my senior years.  But, oh coming down the other side into the valley with Jesus is so precious!  And there are going to be obstructions, rocks and strife may try and trip you up.  And there will be days when you feel like just giving up as the storms of wind and rain continue to pound upon you. 

Keep your trust in Jesus, put on your armor every day by faith: “Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might.  Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil” Ephesians 6:10-11.  Keep close to Jesus in prayer and in His Word.

And someday, we who love Jesus will finally roll across that final trestle, spanning the Jordan, and there you will see the “Union Depot” and your train will finally glide right into God’s heaven.  I think of loved ones and friends who recently have finally finished their journey and what a welcome they must have received as they rolled to a final stop.  I think of a precious Pastor who recently completed his journey home, and what a welcome he must have received!  I can almost hear the angels singing, and I remember him as he played the piano and sang and I think of the song, “When all God’s Singers Get Home!”  And I think of him and all the memories we shared.  But someday, we will all be there and we will be welcomed home and finally meet our Father and see our Precious Lord face to face.

So keep your eyes straight ahead, whatever the future holes.  Watch those curves and those mountain storms that might be coming ahead, and someday your journey will end, and God calls us to be faithful, do our duty, tell others about Jesus.  I pray you are on the right “train.”  I pray you are on the “mountain railroad” that leads to eternity.  Don’t put off another day, as we never know what a day or night will bring.  Time is so short, and eternity has only two choices, which is your choice?

In Jesus’ Name,

Pastor Sharon