I got to the restaurant early. As I waited for Stan, I pulled out my cell phone and was checking the news. A few minutes later, Stan walked in and sat down.
“What are you looking at?” He asked.
“Checking the news,” I replied, “to see what’s happening.”
“Anything good?” Stan asked.
“Not much,” I said. “Same old stuff.”
“I’m a little late this morning,” Stan commented, “because God wanted me to spend some extra time writing in my journal about some really good news.”
“What’s that?” I asked.
“The Christmas story,” Stan replied. “I was focusing on a couple of verses from Luke’s gospel where the shepherds were told the fabulous good news of the birth of Jesus.”
“Oh, yeah,” I said, “the wonderful good news of His birth in Bethlehem.”
“That’s right,” Stan replied, “and then I focused on my personal Bethlehem.”
“Your personal Bethlehem? In what way?”
“I was remembering how God brought people into my life,” Stan replied, “just like He did with the angel and the shepherds. He brought people who told me about the good news of Jesus. Not just about His birth, but also about His life, death, and resurrection, so that He could be born in me.”
“Born in you,” I said. “So that’s your personal Bethlehem. Is that it?”
“That’s it,” Stan replied. “Born in me so I can and will tell people the good news about Jesus. The good news they may not have heard or may not have made a part of their lives by accepting it.”
“So that their eternal destination is changed?”
“Exactly, my friend,” Stan replied. “So they will know where they’re going when it’s time. As well, so they will know what they’re supposed to be doing with the good news on this side of eternity while they wait for the train!”
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Bible verses to consider:
And an angel of the Lord suddenly stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them; and they were terribly frightened. And the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid; for behold, I bring you good news of a great joy which shall be for all the people; for today in the city of David there has been born for you a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.” Luke 2:9-11.
For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish, but have eternal life. John 3:16.
And this is eternal life, that they may know Thee, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom Thou hast sent. John 17:3.
Jesus answered and said to him (Nicodemus), “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.” John 3:3.
Prayer: Thank you, Father, for the good news that you gave Jesus as the way to you for all of eternity. Thank you for His birth in Bethlehem, and for His birth in me so I know I will spend eternity in your presence when it’s time. Thank you for those people you sent into my life to tell me the truth so I would know and could accept your good news. I confess that too often I don’t tell others of the good news so they, too, can have Jesus born into their lives. Please forgive me for that and please help me follow every step of your lead so I do, in fact, tell the good news to everyone you want. Thank you that I can and do bring these prayers before you in the name of Jesus. Amen.
Think on this: Have you accepted the truth of Jesus’ birth, life, death, and resurrection so you know you will spend eternity in God’s presence when it’s time? If no, why? Why would you want to spend eternity separated from God? If you are a Christian with the assurance of salvation and redemption, how are you doing with telling other people the good news about Jesus? If you sense the need for change in how you tell others about that good news, how is that change going to happen? Is that what you want? Why or why not?
Waiting for the Train 