Sound the Alarm

Facebook is very good about reminding me what I was doing on this same day last year or three years ago or ten years ago. Unfortunately, they are not very good at helping me remember what I was doing yesterday! Even so, it's interesting to get these reminders.

A few weeks ago, I was reminded of an event from our road trip in 2015. That was an interesting trip. Three months all around the country. Al was working, doing training on a new product, and I tagged along. For moral support. And just because.

Anyway, my Facebook memory reminded me of a night in Billings, Montana, where we were sleeping very soundly until being rudely awakened from our sleep by the blaring of the fire alarm. Fortunately, it was a false alarm.

A couple of weeks later, we were in the Chicago suburbs on the day for routine testing of all the smoke detectors and the alarm system in our hotel. As a result, all morning long, alarms were sounding.

That evening, Al and I were both startled by the sound of an alarm coming from our phones. It was a severe weather alert, warning of the possibility of flash flooding due to severe storms in the Chicago area.

If you live in an area prone to tornadoes or other storms, you likely are familiar with the sound of the storm alarm as well, particularly at this time of year.

Alarms are important. An alarm is defined as any sound, outcry, or information intended to warn of approaching danger.  

Paul Revere sounded an alarm to warn that the British were coming. The fire alarm warns of impending danger from fire. The storm alarm alerts us to danger from a coming hurricane or tornado or severe thunderstorm.

The Old Testament prophet Joel had something to say about alarms.

"The day of the LORD is near, and it will come as destruction from the Almighty. Blow a trumpet in Zion, and sound an alarm on My holy mountain! For the day of the LORD is coming; surely it is near."  (Joel 1:15; 2:1 NASB)

Blow a trumpet. Sound an alarm. The day of the Lord is near.

If it was near in the prophet Joel's day, how much nearer is it now!

It is time for us to be sounding the alarm. It is time for us to wake up and pay attention. It is time that we who name the Name of Jesus are about the business of sharing Him with others. It is time for us to wake up! It is time for us to be sounding the alarm!  

The day of the Lord is near, much nearer than ever before. And we live in a world where we are surrounded by people who need to know Jesus!

People need the Lord. People need to know Jesus in a personal way, not just to know about Him. And people need to know that Jesus is coming again, that the day of the Lord is near.

It's time to sound the alarm!

 

"People, get ready.  Jesus is coming." (lyrics by Crystal Lewis)

 

 



"Knowing the time, that it is already the hour for you to awaken from sleep; for now salvation is nearer to us than when we first believed."  (Romans 13:11 NASB)