Dick trudged along the hot, dusty road. Sweat trickled down his face, leaving a sticky, uncomfortable feeling behind. He had no work, almost no money and no way to get farther south where he could find a job.
Just then a train pulling empty boxcars thundered past and then gradually slowed to a stop. Its big, roomy boxcars with their huge, open doors looked inviting, but Dick knew there might be trouble if he tried riding a boxcar. It hadn’t been that long since he had seen a friend bumped from one by a railroad worker. They sure didn’t appreciate having non-paying passengers. But still, it would be faster than walking.
He waited until the train started to move, then made a run for an open boxcar. He gave a mighty jump and pulled himself into the moving boxcar. But relief quickly changed to fear, because of what he saw back in the shadows. The boxcar already had two passengers, and they didn’t look friendly.
Dick wondered, Are they criminals? Will they try to jump me? He didn’t have much money, but they didn’t know that. As the train picked up speed, Dick sat near the open door so he could jump if the worst happened. The other passengers stayed in the shadows.
After a few hours the train began to slow down and pulled onto a siding. Dick got ready to jump as soon as it was safe. The boxcar suddenly jerked to a stop, but before he could jump, the huge steel door slammed shut!
All three men rushed to the door and frantically began to try to pull it open. Meanwhile, the rest of the train began to pull away, and then to their horror they realized that their boxcar was being left on the siding. If they couldn’t get the door open, they could die from the heat! Already it was getting hot, and the door wouldn’t budge.
Dick wasn’t worried about finding a job anymore, nor was he worried about the other men. They were all in the same fix together; they were in danger of losing their lives, unless they could get the door open.
The Bible says that “there is no difference: for all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:22-23). We have sinned and so have failed to meet God’s holy standards. Every person, no matter who they are, has sinned. And each one of us deserves the wages of sin, which is death. Sadly, there isn’t anything we can do to help ourselves.
Dick and the others couldn’t help themselves either. They wanted to be free of their prison, but they were helplessly trapped. The heat was getting worse and their situation was frightening.
But help came, though in an unexpected way. Some time later another train backed down the siding and slammed into the boxcar where the three men were trapped. The jolt jiggled the door loose, and the men sprang to the door and were able to work it open.
And there is help for sinners in their frightening situation, but it was planned and paid for by the Saviour who loves us. “When we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly” (Romans 5:6). His way of freeing us wasn’t as easy as it was to bump a boxcar door open. The Lord Jesus had to die and shed His blood for us. “The blood of Jesus Christ [God’s] Son cleanseth us from all sin” (1 John 1:7).
Will you spring to that open door of salvation?
ML-07/09/2000