People Get Ready

The song below was written in the 1960’s during a time of civil unrest in the United States. In many ways the unrest during that time has some similarities to today, although now it is more of a worldwide event than it was at that time. The short song has been on my mind a lot lately and I often find myself singing the words when I am out walking my dog. They just come to me and I start singing the song. I think partly because I believe these words apply to where we are today. We must get ready to meet the Lord.

“People get ready, there’s a train a comin’ – You don’t need no baggage, you just get on board – All you need is faith, to hear the diesels hummin’ – Don’t need no ticket, you just thank the Lord – So people get ready, for the train to Jordan – Picking up passengers coast to coast – Faith is the key, open the doors and board ’em – There’s hope for all, among those loved the most – There ain’t no room for the hopeless sinner – Whom would hurt all mankind, – just to save his own, – believe me now Have pity on those whose chances grow thinner For there is no hiding place, against the kingdom’s throne So people get ready there’s a train a comin’ – You don’t need no baggage, you just get on board – All you need is faith, to hear the diesels hummin’ – Don’t need no ticket, you just thank the Lord.” (Song People Get Ready released in 1965, written by Curtis Mayfield, performed by The Impressions as well as other artists). 

It is not a complicated process to board this train to be with the Lord, as the song says, “All you need is faith”. Habakkuk 2:1-4 says, “I will stand upon my watch, and set me upon the tower, and will watch to see what he will say unto me, and what I shall answer when I am reproved. And the Lord answered me, and said, Write the vision, and make it plain upon tables, that he may run that readeth it. For the vision is yet for an appointed time, but at the end it shall speak, and not lie: though it tarry, wait for it; because it will surely come, it will not tarry. Behold, his soul which is lifted up is not upright in him: but the just shall live by his faith.” We must live in faith to be with the Lord. If we don’t have faith, how can we trust and follow Him. If we have faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, it gives us power of faith and hope. It then gives us the courage, motivation, purpose, and joy, to live trusting in Him in all things. We need this power of faith now as many of the things we have trusted in for so long are no longer reliable.  We need to trust in our faith to guide us through the hard times. We also do not know what strength the Lord will give us because of our faith. “Jesus answered and said unto them, Verily I say unto you, If ye have, and doubt not, ye shall not only do this which is done to the fig tree, but also if ye shall say unto this mountain, Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea; it shall be done.” (Matt. 21:21) The fig tree was not producing any fruit so it withered and died but we who are faithful will produce fruit and be able to do many things we did not know we could do.

We certainly do not want to be one of those who, when the Lord returns’ He finds has no faith! We will have let Him down and we will be lost forever. “And shall not God avenge his own elect, which cry day and night unto him, though he bear long with them?I tell you that he will avenge them speedily. Nevertheless when the Son of man cometh, shall he find faith on the earth?” (Luke 18:7-8) If we have faith, we will hear His voice. When there is no faith, you cannot hear the truth and the wisdom of His voice and His call to be READY. We are His witnesses and if we have no faith or our faith is weak, and we do not hear Him then how can we speak with the power and authority He gives us through our faith. We are useless to Him and are lost in our unfaithfulness. “Even in the case of lifeless things that make sounds, such as the pipe or harp, how will anyone know what tune is being played unless there is a distinction in the notes? Again, if the trumpet does not sound a clear call, who will get ready for battle?, it is with you. Unless you speak intelligible words with your tongue, how will anyone know what you are saying? You will just be speaking into the air.” (1Cor. 14:7-9) NIV.