The Unseen Force

A couple months ago I was running my Fed Ex Ground route and came to an intersection with a sign that read ROAD CLOSED. I looked down the road past the signs and saw alot of flashing lights and what appeared to be a catastrophe at a railroad crossing. I had a package to deliver on this road and I was pretty sure it was on the other side of the tracks. I wasn't positive but almost certain. I figured I had better go check before I drove all the way around and found out I was wrong. I drove around the signs and got closer and closer to the lights. I could now see that there were several railcars off the track. I came to the last driveway before the track and a railroad employee waved his hands frantically and motioned for me to turn around. He appeared a little agitated as he walked towards my truck. "Can't you read the signs buddy?" he yells towards me. I explained I had a package and wasn't sure which side it was on. I asked him if anyone was hurt and if they knew what caused it. He said no one was hurt and the wind is what caused it. I said something like I never dreamed the wind could blow over a freight train. He said it only happens when the containers are double stacked and empty. I turned around and drove several miles out of my way to make my delivery.

As I drove away I began to think about what had happened and what the man had said. Here is this huge, powerful freight train cruising down the track. I did some research and discovered the locomotive weighs in excess of 270,000 pounds. It contains a turbo-charged V12 diesel engine that produces 4,000 horsepower and weighs 30,000 pounds itself. It has the capability to move at speeds of 110 mph. It holds 4,900 gallons of fuel. This thing is unstoppable. It's leading the way down a track that is straight and narrow. The containers are being lead down that same clear path. No obstacles. Not even a hill or a curve. They are double stacked but empty. That is the key to the disaster. Double stacked and empty. Taken out by an unseen force, the wind. No one could have seen it coming. There was a message in this somewhere.



How easy is it to be following God down the path He desires for us only to be blindsided by an unseen force that causes us to derail and crash? I know first hand how easy it is to be caught up in doing ministry, serving here and getting involved there. Reading the books on the christian best seller list and going to church and doing great stuff. All the while sacrificing time alone with God. The prayer time suffers. The time in His Word suffers. The spiritual disciplines are an afterthought. I am beginning to stack stuff up in my life. I am busy but I am becoming empty. I am pouring out constantly but not pouring the stuff in that carries weight and gives me spiritual strength. I am moving 90 mph and have become a double stacked empty shell. I'm a prime candidate for disaster. The unseen force blindsides me and I have no weight, strength or substance to rely on. Satan knows my weakness and exploits it. My world is rocked and I can't understand what has happened. I was on the right path, how could this happen? My life now looks like a train wreck. It takes time to clean up the mess. What is even worse is that often those that are following closely get derailed too. Not all train wrecks are injury free. Sometimes there are casualties. Others that were headed my direction must now take detours. Their journey will have added miles due to my weakness. Bottom line, the impact is far beyond myself.
My negligence can cause a real mess for many around me.

Notice the small trees in the pictures below. They withstood the winds and the force of the containers. The containers are actually wrapped around the trees. The trees are much smaller and outwardly would appear weaker. But they stood strong. Not because of what is seen, but because of a strength that is unseen. Their roots are firm and deep. A beautiful picture of not only surviving the storm but being strong enough to support others who weren't.