The Train Driver was passionately aflame about driving trains so somebody asked him what inspired him. A far-away look came over his face and he told us why. This is what he said:
‘As a small boy growing up all things mechanical were interesting and exciting. In a little boy’s world, the steam engine was the ultimate. It had side rods that moved back and forth, giant driving wheels that could haul a passenger locomotive in excess of seventy miles an hour, large steam cylinders that could produce nearly two thousand horse power for heavy freight hauls across the Dividing Range. It had lubricators, steam injectors, air compressors and all sorts of levers and gadgets. Just enough to fill a small boy’s mind.
Friday afternoons would find my grandfather and me down at the locomotive depot. Grandfather was a farmer. In his early years he used steam traction engines to work the land and the love of steam was always with him.
The highlight of our visit was to watch the Riverina Express, pulled by a thirty-eight class steam engine. We would watch in silence, both wishing we could be aboard the footplate.
Our concentration would be broken by the friendly waves from the crew aboard the thirty-eight class. We would think about the wonder and adventures of a train driver as the Riverina Express disappeared down the track.
Even then, I knew I must follow both our dreams, his and mine.
As we listened to the Train Driver, we could all see how the dream set before him fanned the inspiration.
A fortunate few know exactly what fans their inspiration. Paul was inspired because God set him apart from birth so that he might preach Christ (See Galatians 1:15), and John the Baptist was inspired because he was “great in the sight of the Lord” before he was born (See Luke 1:15).
Jesus was “chosen before the creation of the world” (Revelation 13:8), and his inspiration was the joy that would follow. “For the joy set before him endured the cross.” (Hebrews 12:2).
Paul said Timothy’s inspiration came through his mother and grandmother, “from infancy you have known the holy Scriptures which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus” (2nd Timothy 3:15). He put his finger on it; “Fan it into flame” said Paul. (See 1st Timothy 1:5,6).
God, who spoke to our forefathers, said, “He makes his angels winds, and his ministers flames of fire” (Hebrews 1:7). It’s the flame that lights the world.
Elizabeth Price