Have you ever made a wrong turn? A wrong choice? How about getting on the wrong train? Getting on the wrong train is not a good feeling. I knew immediately what I had done. I was headed south instead of north. I had a sinking feeling in my stomach. I thought, well, I can sit here and cry in my stupidity and take even longer to get home or just get up and be ready to get off the train at the next stop! As I rose, I could feel all eyes on me. I knew they knew. I felt stupid, but had to face the embarrassment in order to get home. I had to admit I made a mistake! As I stood next to the door, the business man near me said, "You got on the wrong train didn't you?" Was it that obvious? I thought, I nodded and then he said this, "Just get off at the next stop and turn around, you will get where you are going." Wow! How simple he made it sound. Acknowledging my mistake, and doing something about it quickly was the answer.
I felt comfort in that. Like I feel when God asks me to turn to Him. But why do I wait so long to turn when God, my Heavenly Father asks me to? I learned a lesson in getting on the wrong train. That just because your train is late, doesn't necessarily mean it is the next train coming into the station. Sometimes in the waiting, you still have to make sure it is the One! So look and make sure it is headed in the right direction. Also getting back on track can take some work. I had to take 4 metros to get to another Amtrak headed north. I was in Washington DC, alone, well with God, but alone, tired and so frustrated with Leslie.
Work to get back on track...that is like my walk with God I thought, I try my way and sometimes don't really think it makes a difference if I go home a different way than God has ask me to go. He wants me home, but He wants to make me more like Him in the process, so I must take certain tracks or tests to get there and be more like Him. As I was carting my bags through 4 metros and the Amtrak station, I wanted to dump the baggage, but I must carry it with me. Unlike my walk with God, I had to bring home my stuff. Thank you Jesus, I can leave my baggage behind at the cross and move much quicker to get home to You!
Then I reach the train that will take me home, home to my kids and my bed. As I sit down, I feel relief that I am on my way. I can now relax and let the engineer get me home, because I know I am on the right track, I just have to be ready for whoever or whatever comes along while riding down the track. I met a woman who was a professor in Science. She was nice and we spoke about Jesus some as she explained her need to go to church, but not a need to read the Bible. She was so nice to sit next too and she encouraged me in my walk in education to accomplish my final goal, being a teacher.
Then she got off in New Jersey and I still had 4 hours to go. To my surprise, God has yet another person for me to meet. I was tired and not really looking to continue in conversation, but there he was sitting down across the aisle. After the conductor came through confirming our destinations, he leans across the aisle and says, "Hartford?" "Yes" I respond...and from there on the conversation grew. I didn't expect this, but isn't that just like God, to take us on 4 metros and another train to cross paths with someone special.
So getting on the wrong train...is more work, more connections, more God than I expected. I ask Him into my day, and He showed up, despite my lack of attention to details, like which direction the train was headed. He saved me a seat on another train, but not until I wasted time from my mistake, and learning a lesson. And with that seat He had a gift for me, a new friend, a new conversation, a new connection. I learned that God shows up no matter if miss my train, He has another seat saved for me, I just have to get there!
