A Train Heading for Destruction

I was visiting in my birth country traveling on a train, sitting alone with only a few passengers on board.

A young woman was sitting with a young man, who apparently had been drinking. Their conversation could be heard by all in that car. My own ears soon picked up an effort by the woman to witness to the man, who must have been a brother or a cousin. She had something from the Word of God to encounter the young man's unbelieving sentences. His head down, he had more to encounter her words, and found all sorts of reasons to doubt. The other passengers drew to themselves seemingly, but could not avoid the truth from happening. I prayed for the Spirit of God to bless the young woman, and that the same Spirit would bless the young man to sober up from his failing to trust God.

I sensed the Spirit of God present and the young woman, a living witness to Jesus her Savior. She was not moved by her companion's persistent talk back, but was moved to speak in love to her companion's condition. The rest of us were subjected to listen or ignore the act before us.

I thanked God for her. Surely she had been chosen by God to further the good news of Jesus Christ. My heart leaped for joy as he seemed to be listening.

The train approached the station I was to get off at. I stood up looking at the man, and said: "You know she is right in everything she told you. There is a God who longs to save. I pray you will seek Him."

The man stood up as if sobered up in an instant. We looked at each other in the eye as the train was coming to a stop and as I hurried out I said: "God bless you."

I will not forget his eyes looking at me as if something had struck him the first time. I read into his silence volumes, he had his head up as to waking up to digest for himself new hope and a future.

It was the right time in the right train to meet in passing the deep questions of life, for some in the train an uncomfortable timing for the subject, for others an eternity moment for salvation of a soul.

If we are not able to go where unbelievers are, or meet them where they are we all can pray for salvation in Jesus Christ for all who are on a train heading for destruction. It is nothing short of a miracle when a Christian has an open opportunity to say: I will pray for you! Do you know Jesus loves you?

One day I was sitting on a park bench when two young men stopped to share a weed. I got up and went the step or two to them and asked: "What is your first name? I will pray for you." One of the youngsters said smoking and laughing to my face that his grandmother prays for him too. I continued a little longer to talk to them. Some time had passed when I heard someone say a loud hello. Running towards me was one of those youngsters saying he wanted to thank me for praying for him. He looked handsome, cleaned up, neatly dressed, hair trimmed. He said he found a job. He looked quite different from the one I met before. My heart leaped with joy. Such transformation was hard to believe and I told him so.

He said he is blessed to have people pray for him. I thanked God for his grandmother.

Prayer: Father God! Thank you God for those your servants who knowingly and unknowingly witness the good news of salvation to the lost who are in a train heading for destruction. Keep strong the faithful ones in your service, not to be afraid to step on the train but strong to change the destination for some in your name. Jesus Christ, our Lord. Amen.

Kirsti Sipila
Brantford, Ontario, Canada

A Train Heading for Destruction

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