We all know the classic children’s story The Little Engine That Could by Watty Piper! For those unfamiliar with the story, perhaps the picture above will jog your memory. Even those who know the famous line, “I think I can, I think I can, I think I can!” may not actually remember the full story.
Once upon a time, a little red train was tasked with carrying a bunch of toys and treats for sleeping children, hoping to surprise them in the morning by delivering the gifts over the mountain before they woke up. On the way up the mountain, the little train sputtered to a halt because it didn’t have enough power to make it up the steep incline. What were all the boys and girls going to do without the wonderful toys to play with and the good food to eat?!
All the toys cried for help as a shiny new gold engine passed by. The gold engine scoffed, “I carry important people, not little toys and dolls like you!” Then a big, strong engine came along and, hearing the toys’ cries, stopped to look. Same answer: “I carry massive freights and heavy cedar logs; I’d be embarrassed to pull the likes of you!” Finally, an old, rusty engine approached. The toys called out again, but the tired engine sighed, “I’m too worn out. I need to rest my weary wheels. I can’t pull even a little train like you. I cannot, I cannot, I cannot.”
Just at the point of despair, here comes a very tiny blue engine! The toys pleaded again, and the blue engine had compassion. After hearing the toys’ story, the blue engine confessed, “I’m not very big, and I’ve never been over the mountain before…” However, after seeing the tears in the toys’ eyes and thinking about the children who would soon wake up on the other side of the mountain, it started to declare, “I think I can, I think I can, I think I can.”
Check out this powerful ending to this innocent little children’s book. It packs a punch:
“Then, the Little Blue Engine began to pull. She tugged and she pulled. She pulled and she tugged. Puff puff, chug chug went the little engine. ‘I think I can. I think I can,’ she said. Slowly, slowly, the train started to move. The dolls and toys began to smile and clap. Puff puff, chug chug. Up the mountain went the Little Blue Engine. And all the time, she kept saying, ‘I think I can, I think I can, I think I can…’ Up, up, up. The little engine climbed and climbed. At last, she reached the top of the mountain. Down below lay the city. ‘Hurray! Hurray!’ cried the dolls and animals. ‘The boys and girls will be so happy,’ said the toy clown. ‘All because you helped us, Little Blue Engine.’ The Little Blue Engine just smiled. But as she puffed down the mountain, the Little Blue Engine seemed to say, ‘I thought I could, I thought I could, I thought I could.’”
We read the story and identify with the Little Blue Engine, but let’s slow our roll a bit. I suggest that we are actually more like the little red engine carrying a bunch of gifts but unable to conquer the mountain. We are powerless to get to the other side, and we cry out for help. We’ve all asked gold, strength, and wisdom to help, but they’ve indifferently passed us by. No one actually stops; only Jesus, the little blue engine, has the compassion and the power to take us to the other side. As we repent, believe, and hitch ourselves to Jesus, he takes us up the mountain by the power of the Holy Spirit.
When we are confronted with mountains of sin, hopelessness, fear, and addiction, it is important that we practice declaration. Declaration is not affirmation, saying “I think I can, I am enough, I am strong.” Declaration is a pronouncement: “Jesus, I know you can! I know you’re faithful, I know you’re good. The work you started in me, you will complete!” Think of declaration like the little toys and dolls cheering on the Little Blue Engine!
Declaration is vocally speaking out the promises of Jesus, claiming them as your own in the middle of your circumstances. It’s taking Jesus’s promises spoken in the past and leaning on them in the present and for the future, for heaven and earth will pass away, but Jesus’s word will never pass away. Regardless of how you are feeling, we must learn to vocally declare our faith, the reality of what we hope for and the proof of what is not yet seen.
Here are some declarations that you can start with:
– Lord, I acknowledge that I have been crucified with Christ; it is You who live in me. I choose to live by faith in You, the Son of God who loves me and gave Yourself for me. (Galatians 2:20)
– I trust in You, Lord, and I lean not on my own understanding. I submit all my ways to You and believe that You will make my paths straight. (Proverbs 3:5-6)
– God, my soul waits for You alone; my salvation comes from You. You are my rock and fortress; I will not be shaken. (Psalm 62:1-2)
– How long will you hide your face from me, O Lord? Nevertheless, I will trust in Your steadfast love. My heart rejoices in Your salvation, and I will sing to You for how bountifully You have dealt with me. (Psalm 13)
– Father, You have not given me a spirit of fear but of power, love, and self-control. I will not be ashamed of the Gospel; I will preach it boldly, no matter the cost. (2 Timothy 1:7-8)
– The Lord rebuke you, Satan. You have no authority over me. (Zechariah 3:2)
There are thousands of other treasured promises and declarations that we can claim in Jesus today! Will you take a step of Faith in Action? Will you open up your Bible and then begin to open your mouth, declaring the goodness of God? Don’t be like the old, rusty engine who spoke like Eeyore over himself, “I cannot, I cannot, I cannot.” Rather declare, “I am more than a CONQUEROR through Jesus Christ who loves me!”
***Read Romans 8 for some great declarative material!
Hi Mitch. A cute analogy for sure. Nicely done. Sure, we are like the red engine, and you liken the blue engine to Jesus. Yet the blue engine says, “I’m not very big, and I’ve never been over the mountain before…” and then says, “I think I can, I think I can, I think I can.” Those 2 statements are NOT what I would hear Jesus say or do or be. Therefore, for me, I can’t affix Jesus as the blue engine when he makes those statements I just presented.
Your BEST paragraph is the very last one. And every sentence is right on.
I think that sentence should be at the beginning AND at the end.
A template for writing, that I’ve often used, is, “Tell them what you’re gonna say, say it, then tell them what you just said.”
Good stuff my friend. Keep it coming.
Thanks for the feedback Gregg! I agree, the analogy, like most analogies fall short of the glory of God! I agree Jesus would not say things like these, but if we can look at it in a slightly different angle, we can see a parallel between the humility and compassion of the Little Blue Engine and Jesus, “Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage; rather, he made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to death— even death on a cross!” (Philippians 2:6-8)
Although Jesus is now seated at the right hand of the Father, all authority has been given to Him on heaven and on earth, He is not only the Lamb of God but the Lion of Judah, King of Kings, and Lord of Lords… He still calls us unto a life of humility and compassion for others, he leads us to the cross, to be servants of all, to be a good samaritan and stop when people need help, pouring out our lives for others. In this sense, we can find parallels between the blue little engine and our Mighty Savior Jesus 🙂
I’ve been praying this one over Jonah every night! “Father, You have not given me a spirit of fear but of power, love, and self-control. I will not be ashamed of the Gospel; I will preach it boldly, no matter the cost. “
Jonah is bold as a lion! He’s strong as a bear! He’s as silly as a sally!