Written and posted by Jean-Louis.
Especially in the last few months since the election of the last US president Mr.Obama, the general state of the world and the great disasters relentlessly battering the earth with an increasing regularity and intensity, a lot of people have the feeling that something momentous is about to happen. Are we prepared for it?
About 12 years ago, a train crash in Germany got my attention. And reading again of at least two train crashes that happened within a few weeks, I thought it might be a good time to post my thoughts about the inescapability of the course of events in our world today. UPDATE: I just finished reading of a new accident that just happened 35 minutes ago in Norway.
The newspaper report of a runaway train in Germany this past week(6/12/98) should cause us to take stock (re-evaluate) of our lives. The report recounts the crash of a run away train passenger cars that got off the track and crashed at full speed in the cement retaining wall under the bridge of a freeway sending a great number of unaware passengers to their ultimate destination.
The Eschede train disaster was the world's deadliest high-speed train
accident. It occurred on June 3, 1998 near the village of Eschede in the
Celle district of Lower Saxony, Germany. The toll of 101 people dead
and 88 (estimated) injured surpassed the 1971 Dahlerau train disaster as
the deadliest accident in the history of the Federal Republic of
Germany. It was caused by a single fatigue crack in one wheel which,
when it finally failed, caused the train to derail at a switch. The intense destruction of the train was due to a collision with a road bridge after the derailment.
Looking at the article, several questions on a spiritual parallel level came to mind.
Are we on track with God? Are we walking in the Spirit, in step with the Shepherd leading us, sensitive and receptive to His voice, obedient to His commands, following Him our Head as the passenger cars should follow the locomotive and be running on the same track at the same speed?
Do we let the momentum of our lives cause us to disengage from the path God has chosen for us and is leading us onto? Do we allow the busyness and frenzy of our modern life to drive us into a concrete wall that has the unmovable determination to stay in our way as we come to a crashing halt at an unstoppable speed?
If we read the newspaper account, we will notice that the cause of the crash was not found in the locomotive, neither on the tracks, not even in the cars, neither in the wheels themselves, but in the protective rim of one of the tires. It is also very interesting to note that the defect was found in the very first car behind the locomotive. It should cause us to reflect on the question: Who is at the wheel driving?
The probable cause was either metal fatigue, stress or damage to the protective rim.
The analogy not only applies to individuals, but also to families or entire congregations as the pressures and demands on our lives have a tendency to make us feel out of control and affect all our relationships.
The solution is to stop, pause and examine our lives to make sure that we are on track, that the spiritual equipment the Lord has provided for us is being maintained and properly used, that we are not being driven by our own ambitions, desires, habits or the wrong choices we foolishly make, or following the wrong person, but that we are following Him, taking our marching orders from our Shepherd King, our Head, Christ whose footsteps determine the length and the speed of our stride and the times to move on or to stop and rest, working with Him in the pasture that He has chosen for us His sheep.
"Whoever serves me must follow me and where I am, my servant also will be. My Father will honor the one who serves me." John 12:26.
PS: Maybe this article from the Washington Post may gives us clues to understand this modern phenomenon. Does it have anything to do with stretching the concept of the "pursuit of happiness" to its exhaustive conclusion?
One man says he works 72 hours a
week because everyone else at his office does; he’s thinking about
cutting back on sleep so he can be more productive. A woman says the
last time she had a moment for herself was when she went for her annual
mammogram. Another says she has decided that life is too hectic to have
kids — ever.
Then a woman bursts in, apologizing for being late to this focus group convened precisely to discuss the fast pace of modern life. She got stuck in traffic, she explains: Here
Especially in the last few months since the election of the last US president Mr.Obama, the general state of the world and the great disasters relentlessly battering the earth with an increasing regularity and intensity, a lot of people have the feeling that something momentous is about to happen. Are we prepared for it?
About 12 years ago, a train crash in Germany got my attention. And reading again of at least two train crashes that happened within a few weeks, I thought it might be a good time to post my thoughts about the inescapability of the course of events in our world today. UPDATE: I just finished reading of a new accident that just happened 35 minutes ago in Norway.
The newspaper report of a runaway train in Germany this past week(6/12/98) should cause us to take stock (re-evaluate) of our lives. The report recounts the crash of a run away train passenger cars that got off the track and crashed at full speed in the cement retaining wall under the bridge of a freeway sending a great number of unaware passengers to their ultimate destination.
Second world's deadliest high speed train accident Source
The Eschede train disaster was the world's deadliest high-speed train
accident. It occurred on June 3, 1998 near the village of Eschede in the
Celle district of Lower Saxony, Germany. The toll of 101 people dead
and 88 (estimated) injured surpassed the 1971 Dahlerau train disaster as
the deadliest accident in the history of the Federal Republic of
Germany. It was caused by a single fatigue crack in one wheel which,
when it finally failed, caused the train to derail at a switch. The intense destruction of the train was due to a collision with a road bridge after the derailment.Looking at the article, several questions on a spiritual parallel level came to mind.
Are we on track with God? Are we walking in the Spirit, in step with the Shepherd leading us, sensitive and receptive to His voice, obedient to His commands, following Him our Head as the passenger cars should follow the locomotive and be running on the same track at the same speed?
Do we let the momentum of our lives cause us to disengage from the path God has chosen for us and is leading us onto? Do we allow the busyness and frenzy of our modern life to drive us into a concrete wall that has the unmovable determination to stay in our way as we come to a crashing halt at an unstoppable speed?
If we read the newspaper account, we will notice that the cause of the crash was not found in the locomotive, neither on the tracks, not even in the cars, neither in the wheels themselves, but in the protective rim of one of the tires. It is also very interesting to note that the defect was found in the very first car behind the locomotive. It should cause us to reflect on the question: Who is at the wheel driving?
The probable cause was either metal fatigue, stress or damage to the protective rim.
The analogy not only applies to individuals, but also to families or entire congregations as the pressures and demands on our lives have a tendency to make us feel out of control and affect all our relationships.
The solution is to stop, pause and examine our lives to make sure that we are on track, that the spiritual equipment the Lord has provided for us is being maintained and properly used, that we are not being driven by our own ambitions, desires, habits or the wrong choices we foolishly make, or following the wrong person, but that we are following Him, taking our marching orders from our Shepherd King, our Head, Christ whose footsteps determine the length and the speed of our stride and the times to move on or to stop and rest, working with Him in the pasture that He has chosen for us His sheep.
"Whoever serves me must follow me and where I am, my servant also will be. My Father will honor the one who serves me." John 12:26.
PS: Maybe this article from the Washington Post may gives us clues to understand this modern phenomenon. Does it have anything to do with stretching the concept of the "pursuit of happiness" to its exhaustive conclusion?
Why being too busy makes us feel so good
Brigid Schulte is a Washington Post staff writer. This article is adapted from her book “Overwhelmed: Work, Love, and Play When No One Has the Time.
Then a woman bursts in, apologizing for being late to this focus group convened precisely to discuss the fast pace of modern life. She got stuck in traffic, she explains: Here
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