I was intrigued by a story I heard at the 30A Songwriter Festival. The story was about a man named Steamtrain Maury, elected 5 times as "King of the Hoboes." Most of you are reading this and wondering, "How is a person elected King of the Hoboes?" Since hoboes are wanderers, it seems structurally impossible for them to elect anyone. But, there is a Hobo Convention in Britt, Iowa (go figure?) and elections are held for King. So, the title King of the Hoboes.
Maury was a strange, troubled, and complex character. He hopped countless trains, and still had time to visit 34,000 veterans (he served in the military as a medical technician). He had a heart for those who had served their country. He lived 89 years.
As I heard Steamtrain Maury's story in song, I wondered ... did he just randomly jump trains, not knowing (or caring) where they were going? Did he just, on a whim, follow the wanderlust of the rails, thinking that all of these random, seemingly disconnected, journeys were "freedom?" And, is our spiritual journey any better? Do we have a solid starting place? Do we have a purpose in our travels? Do we have a destination?
I plan to stay in the Book of John in the weeks coming up to Lent. One of our adult Sunday School classes will be traveling alongside us. John is a simply-constructed book that focuses on the person and work of Christ. John, the writer, was in Ephesus in the mid to late 1st Century when the book was written.
John was not a spiritual hobo. John knew where the Gospel story began. It started with the person of Jesus who told us our starting point. Jesus said, "I am ... the light of the world (John 8;12) ... the door of the sheep (John 10:7) ... the good shepherd (John 10:11) ... the resurrection and the life (John 11:25) ... the way, the truth, the life (John 14:6) ... and, the true vine (John 15:1)." This is where we start our journey.
John knew the journey was filled with stories, testimonies, and opportunities to know Jesus. The Samaritan woman learned the truth about Jesus and herself ... and she was changed. Nicodemus learned that we must be born of the Spirit, which has a direction and purpose that "goes where it will!" Lazarus and his family learned that even death cannot overcome the power of God.
John also knew where the story ended. It didn't end on the cross, though the powers of this world thought it was finished. It didn't end in a cold, dark tomb, though even the disciples feared all hope was lost. It ended in a very strange place ... with Jesus, the Kingdom, and the very presence/Spirit of God indwelling the earth and God's people (all believers).
We are "pilgrims and strangers, traveling through this world of woe," as the old song says. But we have a beginning ... Jesus. We have a purpose ... our testimony of blessing to all the world. We have a destination ... the Kingdom on earth as it is in heaven.
Our special song for the 1st service is called, Glory Bound. The words say, "Well I don't know which way you're going, and I don't know if you're lost or found, all I know is you've been forgiven, and this train is glory bound!" Steamtrain Maury didn't always know where he was going. One obituary said he, dying at 89 years old, had finally hitched a ride on a comet. But we, God's people, will have a better destination ... the glorious Kingdom of God! Jump on board! AMEN
No comments:
Post a Comment