A Terrible, Yet Wonderful Sound!

This morning, my oldest son Jonathan, left to return to Nicaragua for another semester.  That meant getting to the airport by 4:00 a.m. for his 6:00 a.m. flight. And, that meant getting up at 3:00 a.m. in order to leave the house by 3:30 a.m. In spite of the fact that I have done that routine numerous times now, I can assure you I do not naturally awaken and get out of bed at 3:00 a.m.  I need to set an alarm (or two).  And when that alarm goes off, I need to get out of bed immediately or else I will find myself waking up well past the time of the flight!  So my day, like many of yours, began with the sound of the alarm clock (on my iPhone) going off—a terrible, yet wonderful sound!

I know that there are lots of times we hate our alarm clocks. For most of us, it is the worst sound of the day. When we find ourselves in a deep, peaceful sleep, the last thing we want to hear is the sound of the alarm clock telling us it is time to get up. Some of us shut it up with the snooze button, but it goes off again. Some of us try to ignore it, but even once it stops ringing, its sound echoes in our ears.  Although we often hate its sound, in the end we are grateful for the purpose it serves as it wakes us up to a new day.  It is, for most of us, a terrible, yet wonderful sound! 

The Bible speaks to us of an even greater terrible, yet wonderful sound.  It tells of the sound of “the last trumpet” that will sound like an alarm for God’s people.  It is the sound that signals the return of our Lord.  It is the sound that will announce the beginning of the judgment of our world.  It is the sound that will announce the fulfillment of the salvation promised to God’s people.  Many will rejoice at that sound. But for others it will bring no joy. The difference will be whether or not they are ready to stand before God; whether or not they have been living lives pleasing to God. 

Jesus said, “And he will send his angels with a loud trumpet call, and they will gather his elect from the four winds, from one end of the heavens to the other.” (Matthew 24:31 – NIV)

The Apostle Paul wrote, Listen, I tell you a mystery: We will not all sleep, but we will all be changed— in a flash, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed.” (I Corinthians 15:51-52 – NIV) and  “For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first.” (1 Thessalonians 4:16 – NIV) 

Let me ask you, when the alarm goes off—i.e. when the last trumpet sound—will it be for you a terrible or wonderful sound? I pray that for each of you, it will be a sound at which you will rejoice, as you receive the return of your Savior and King! 

Have a great day!

Pastor Tim Harris

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