On Abandoned Trains

Have you ever seen a bunch of abandoned train cars sitting on some old railroad tracks? They’re like something straight out of the Boxcar Children series, and they always make me want to go and live in one like the orphaned children did in the books.

Today, on the way down to Brunswick, we drove parallel to some old railroad tracks for awhile. For a span of about 10 minutes, we saw mile after mile of abandoned train cars sitting on the tracks. The cars were silent and still, sitting there like cold, empty shells of what was once a very long and powerful transportation system. Now, however, their only function is to serve as roadside decorations, crude animal shelters, or unique playgrounds for Boxcar Children wanna-be’s (like me).

The thing about railroad cars is that they are not self-powered. In order for them to move and transport goods, they must be attached to a source of energy, i.e. a locomotive. When they are hooked up to this locomotive, they have extreme potential, carrying tons of goods across the country in a fairly efficient manner. However, as soon as they are unattached from the engine, they must lie dormant, and their potential is untapped.

People are the same way. We can do nothing on our own. We cannot self-power or self-motivate ourselves to anything good, useful, or of eternal value. When we try to live life by ourselves, operating on our own will, we can accomplish little more than an empty railcar. We are lonely, forgotten shells of untapped potential.

But when we attach ourselves to God, he provides the source of life that we need. We accomplish our purpose. We become useful, and when we join up with other believers around the world, we become very efficient mechanisms by which God can reach people all over the world, i.e. the church. No longer are we dormant or useless.

There’s a sad aura that surrounds an abandoned train. Likewise, there’s a lonely feeling of disappointment that accompanies someone who is trying to live a life without God.

We would be wise to attach ourselves to the Lord and surrender to his will. The alternative isn’t very fun.

Just look at an abandoned railcar.