Reflections on MARTA

People — faces — stories — lives.

Hurtling through the darkness of the underground tunnel, the car, brightly lit, speeds its occupants to their destination.

As I journey, I look around at my fellow travelers: dozing, reading, i-podding, blackberrying, just sitting.

At rush hour, we’d be packed like sardines. Now, at midday, the carriage is not half-filled. Yet the two dozen people still represent the wondrous diversity of the human race: black, white, and all shades in between.

More than that, each person has a story to tell as well as a life to live.

As I gaze on the faces, I wonder — what is behind the mask? Is that woman in a happy marriage? Is that other lady suffering from a dread disease? Is that young man realizing his dreams? Is that businessman secure in his job?

But underlying the different stories is a common humanity, for each individual is made in the image of God. That’s what makes the human story so compelling and the human face so fascinating — because we human beings reflect God.

I also wonder as I look about me — how many of my fellow travelers have been converted by God’s grace? With how many of them will I spend eternity — in heaven, with Jesus?

Our trip on MARTA is like a parable of life itself. There are vicissitudes — ups and downs. There are times when we get jerked around curves, and surprised by a sudden rough spot on the rails. And we are all headed, inevitably, to the journey’s end.

“North Springs station,” we are told, in honeyed tones, by the recorded voice, as we reach the end of the line. “All passengers are asked to exit the train.”

Even so, some day all of us will reach the end of the line — we will travel no more miles along the way of life. We will all give account of our lives. And the most important question at that time will be — do we have a Savior, Jesus Christ? For no matter what our socio-economic or cultural background, or what happy or unhappy circumstances we have experienced, “It is appointed unto man once to die but after this the judgment.” Only those who believe in Jesus alone by faith alone by God’s grace alone will be welcomed into the heavenly mansions which He has prepared for His people.

People — faces — stories — lives — grace — salvation — eternity. “All aboard!”

Cordially,
Pastor Frank Smith