His Love Frees

“The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly.” (Jesus Christ)

_

First of all, my connecting train was cancelled. An alternative train was due to arrive at platform 7 but an announcement told everyone it was now platform 12. A large crowd of us ran quickly to catch it in time, and the train arrived. I was one of the first onboard and slumped onto a seat, out of breath. The train was due to leave immediately. It didn’t. We sat there for an hour. 

Another announcement said there had been ‘an incident involving a person’ on the railway line. A gang of beery soccer fans standing on the packed train began joking about it. “How far does a body travel when a train hits it?” one of them mused aloud. “A mess to clear up” chuckled another. Meanwhile I sat there feeling annoyed. I had left home very early that morning for the five-hour journey ahead of me. 

Then a burgeoning thought probed me. ‘Someone has jumped in front of a train and killed him or herself.’ And then I imagined myself getting up at 6am as I had earlier that morning, making a coffee, kissing my family goodbye before the taxi arrived for the station. At the same time, in another home somewhere in England, someone had got out of bed and decided today was the day when their life would end. Perhaps they too made coffee and kissed the family goodbye before heading to the nearest railway station. For the last time. 

It was a horrifying thought and I rebuked myself for being annoyed. Sometimes we get so caught up in our own priorities that we don’t really see what’s happening around us. I wish our train could have been delayed for many hours if it would somehow saved that person’s life. But it was too late. 

It is not too late for you though, if you are reading this and having very dark thoughts. And I am writing specifically to anyone who has decided it’s time to stop living. You may feel alone but I am convinced that life is worth living. I really do. Jesus is there for you. Cast your burdens onto him because he cares for you.  

Please ask for help. All it takes is making a phone call to one of these organisations if you live in the UK. If you are in the USA, phone this crisis lifeline: ‘988’ and let them help you. And if you are elsewhere in the world, just pick up the phone and call local emergency medical services. Do it now. Don’t delay. Just do it. 

“For I know the plans that I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans for welfare and not for calamity to give you a future and a hope.” (Jeremiah 29:11)

Thank You For Supporting My Writing!