麻豆约拍

A reflection and prayer to start the day with Jonathan Rea

SCRIPT

Good morning

Back in the 1980s when I was in primary school, we used to sit around the classroom radio to sing along to a wonderful 麻豆约拍 programme called Singing Together.
It was wholesome and fun, and the song books had proper sheet music, so we were learning to follow the tunes as well as the words.

One of our favourite songs was about a maverick train driver called Casey Jones. And it so happens that the real Casey Jones was born in Kentucky on this date in 1864.

As a child I was too busy enjoying the jolly tune to notice that the song that bore his name was actually about his untimely death as he 鈥渢ook his farewell trip to the Promised Land.鈥�

Jones鈥檚 final journey began 75 minutes behind schedule, but he was so keen to keep his reputation for punctuality that he had regained 73 minutes by the time the crash happened. But then there was fog, confusion over instructions, and suddenly a broken-down train blocking his path. Seeing the unavoidable danger, Jones told his fireman to jump out and fought alone to reduce the train鈥檚 speed 鈥� ultimately saving the lives of every single passenger - at the expense of his own.

From a Christian perspective, stories like this resonate strongly with Paul鈥檚 words in his letter to the Romans 鈥� 鈥渨hile we were powerless, Christ died for the ungodly鈥� God demonstrates his own love for us: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us鈥�.

Lord Jesus, the tragic sacrifice of one human life for another is an act of brave dignity. And we are horrified by the impact of a war which is making too many of those sacrifices necessary. But we thank you that you have not left us helpless. For in selfless love, you gave your own life to redeem our souls. Amen.

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