The Cancelled Train

CANCELLED. That isn’t really the ideal word associated to your train home. The 08:10 train to Newcastle from Oxford was cancelled this Friday.

The thing is I’m never really that bothered when my trains or flights are delayed/cancelled. That fear that people speak of, that panic where they realise their plans have been put into jeopardy never really affects me. I don’t know why. My best friend always finds it odd. We were in Sheffield once and all trains to Nottingham were cancelled. She nearly cried. I realised Derby wasn’t that far away to Nottingham and took that train instead.

I think the reason I never really get that bothered is because I know the worst thing that can happen is I have to hire a hotel room for the night. And the best thing that can happen? I get to tell someone about Jesus.

Just think about it. How many times has a change in your plans meant that you’ve been in a different place at a different time and that’s lead to a conversation?

And so this Friday I took the 08:36 train to Birmingham New Street and then changed on the next train to Glasgow Central. On these two trains I had two conversations.

Both started with a question along the words of: had I had a nice night out? (my ID in the back of my phone was a tell-tale sign) but both conversations went on to tell them about Church. See the role I have makes evangelism kind of easier in these situations. They ask are you a student and I reply “no I intern for a Church” and boom there’s the inlet. What is your inlet?

In the summer, our flight from Barcelona was slightly delayed. And so, as I waited in the departure lounge, I sat next to a man. Naturally the conversation went to why are you travelling as such a big group? I explained we had grown up in the church together. We had a commonality – Jesus. The conversation went on to what he believed the afterlife looked like and what I believed about the resurrection. He asked what I do – I said I’m a lover of Jesus and serving His Church full time this year. He said he is an assassin. I guess I’ll never know if that is true – but hopefully our conversation means I’m less likely to be on his hit list.

The late-night train to London at the end of August? God placed a Scottish couple opposite me. They asked what I do – at the time I was a full-time volunteer at TVYFC. The conversation lasted an hour and a half. They were encouraged to see the next generation serving the people because they wanted to not just for money. But they also knew that my purpose was to love because Jesus loves. Yes it meant that I was walking through London in the dark and that was rather scary but I would ask God to align it all the same again.

I’m not saying this happens every time. And I’m not saying I always meet the opportunities He clearly presents before me. There’s fear and tiredness and just plain awkwardness. I go for it 1 out of every 10 – if that. But what I do know is that a cancelled train or delayed plane might just be because He wants you next to a different person who He wants to meet with.

Next time your train is cancelled know that there is a reason.

Name drop Jesus. I dare you.