Old Railway Track

I remember when my wife and I decided to try travelling to Kuala Lumpur by the overnight train from Tanjong Pagar Train station. At the time, it sounded like an interesting adventure, a slower and more traditional way of travelling, perhaps even an opportunity to relax and enjoy the journey while the countryside passed quietly outside our window.

It did not take us very long to realise that perhaps we had made the wrong choice!

Since it was already night, there was hardly anything to see outside. Instead of enjoying beautiful scenery, we found ourselves listening to the train stopping repeatedly along the way. There were so many stops that I eventually lost count. Each time the train came to a halt, there seemed to be people moving up and down the carriage, loading baggage, dragging cargo, and making all sorts of noises. What we had imagined would be a peaceful overnight journey turned into a rather tiring and restless experience.

Naturally, we prayed.

We prayed for a safe and smooth journey, especially because it was night and the journey seemed so long. We prayed for protection from anything that might happen along the way and asked God to watch over us until we reached our destination.

Eventually, after what seemed like a very long night, we arrived safely in Kuala Lumpur. We were certainly thankful but we were also aching, tired, sleepy and carrying the unmistakable feeling of having spent a very long night on a train!

Looking back, I smile at the memory. We had prayed for a smooth journey, but the journey was anything but smooth. Yet God answered our more important prayer: He brought us safely to our destination. Perhaps sometimes we ask God to remove every inconvenience, difficulty, or delay, while His answer is to walk with us through them and bring us safely to the other side.

There was also something historic about that railway journey. The old train service from Tanjong Pagar Railway Station came to an end on 30 June 2011. With Singapore and Malaysia developing faster and more convenient transportation options, the slow railway service was eventually replaced. Today, parts of the former railway line have been transformed into walking and cycling paths, allowing us to enjoy the old railway corridor in an entirely different way.

Walking along the former railway track today can bring back memories of a slower and more traditional era. The tracks once carried people towards destinations they could not yet see. Today, we walk along them at our own pace, perhaps enjoying the greenery, talking with a loved one, or simply appreciating the quietness.

There is something deeply meaningful about walking along an old railway track. The rails stretch into the distance, disappearing around bends and reminding us that we do not need to see the entire journey before taking the next step.

Isn’t that rather like our walk with God?

We often want to know what lies around the next bend. We want to know whether the coming year will bring health or illness, joy or disappointment, opportunities or difficulties. We make plans, and there is nothing wrong with planning carefully. But ultimately, we cannot control everything that lies ahead.

What we can do is walk with God.

We can talk with Him through prayer. We can bring our worries, hopes, questions and fears before Him. We can thank Him for what we have already received and ask Him for wisdom for what lies ahead. And when the journey becomes difficult, we can remind ourselves that the God who has brought us this far will not suddenly abandon us.

Prayer is not simply asking God to make our journey smooth. Sometimes prayer changes the circumstances; sometimes it changes our hearts. Sometimes God removes the obstacle; at other times He gives us the strength to walk through it. Sometimes He gives us the answer we are hoping for; at other times He gives us peace while we wait.

Looking back over our lives, we may discover that many of our prayers were answered in ways we did not expect. There were moments when we asked God for strength and He gave us endurance. We asked for direction and He opened a door. We asked for protection and only later realised what He had spared us from. We asked Him to help us through a difficult season, and He placed the right person beside us at just the right moment.

Some prayers may still appear unanswered. But even then, we can pray with confidence, knowing that God’s silence is not His absence. He is still present, still listening, and still working according to His perfect wisdom and timing.

As another year unfolds, perhaps we can walk into it with the same attitude we need when travelling along an unfamiliar railway line: we do not know everything that lies ahead, but we know who is walking with us.

Let us pray not only, “Lord, make my journey easy,” but also:

“Lord, give me faith when the journey is difficult, patience when I have to wait, wisdom when I do not know which way to turn, courage when I am afraid, and a grateful heart when the journey is good.”

And perhaps we can also pray:

“Lord, help me to notice the people You place along my journey. Teach me to encourage those who are weary, comfort those who are hurting, and walk beside those who feel they are travelling alone. Let my life be a source of Your love and grace to others.”

Pause for a moment and look back along the railway tracks of your own life. Remember the unexpected blessings, the prayers that were answered, the prayers that are still waiting, the strength God gave you when you were weary, and the people He placed beside you at just the right time.

Remember also the difficult stretches, the delays, detours, disappointments and unexpected stops. Perhaps at the time you wondered why God allowed them. Yet today, looking back, you may see that even those difficult portions of the journey shaped you, strengthened your faith, deepened your dependence on Him, and taught you lessons that could not have been learned any other way.

Every step has been part of your story, and God has been present throughout it all.

As we walk into another year, may we not be anxious about every bend in the road or every station yet to come. Instead, may we place our hands in God’s hands, speak with Him along the way, listen for His guidance, and trust His faithful presence.

The journey may sometimes be smooth or bumpy, fast or slow, joyful or difficult. But whatever lies ahead, we can have confidence in this: we do not walk alone.