On Saturday we went for a drive and we passed this field of daffodils. As far as the eye could see, all you could see was a yellow sea of these trumpet shaped daffodils. They aren't with us for long but they herald in, loudly proclaiming, through their trumpet shaped head, that Spring is here.
In the bible when trumpets are mentioned it is
used for us to stop and take notice as something important is about to be announced.
"All you inhabitants of the world and you who live on the earth, when a banner is raised on the mountains, look! When a trumpet sounds, listen! "
Isaiah 18:3
In the future it will announce Jesus second coming but is there something today that we really need to listen to and take heed? Looking at all those daffodils, it was like God had made them for us to say, 'stop, listen, take heed.'
Is it to be reminded that we don't know the day or hour of His coming so let's not waste an opportunity in telling others about Him? Or don't put off coming to know Jesus - the time is now. You may not get another opportunity - there will be a time when you stand before God and it will be too late, if your name isn't written in the book of life, but it's never too late right now.
Or do you need reminding that we are in a battle? (Ephesians 6:11-17,) Have you heard the call or are you listening to others and gotten confused about this? (1 Corinthians 4:18)
Or maybe you are trying to communicate to people around you what the true good news is. Do the people in your life know that, or are they confused and don't understand what it all means? Do you even know if they are confused, or are they too polite to tell you they don't understand what you mean?
"Again, if the trumpet does not sound a clear call, who will get ready for battle? So 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. Undoubtedly there are all sorts of languages in the world, yet none of them is without meaning. If then I do not grasp the meaning of what someone is saying, I am a foreigner to the speaker, and the speaker is a foreigner to me." 1 Corinthians 14:8-11
I know it can be hard for some of us, believe me I know! I think some of us know in the past what some phrases Christians used and just wasn't clear ie "Jesus saves" - what? What does he save? It's not this! (look past all the wrong theological things in the link and you might 'get' what non-christians or even new christians think when they hear certain phrases.)
I know I'm dreadful at this - I don't have a mobile phone, I'm not up to date with the latest lingo regarding social networking but I am trying. Why? Because it is important as Christians to be able to communicate in a way that whoever comes into our lives they can begin to understand what we are saying. It's not about watering down the bible, it's about being able to communicate what it says effectively.
You don't know who or how someone can come into your life even for a short period of time - even for one a'noon. So the attitude of "I'm too old, or I'm not interested, that's for the younger generation" isn't going to work. So let's not limit ourselves, God wants to do an amazing work through us - it's us and our attitude sometimes that gets in the way.
In the bible when trumpets are mentioned it is
used for us to stop and take notice as something important is about to be announced.
"All you inhabitants of the world and you who live on the earth, when a banner is raised on the mountains, look! When a trumpet sounds, listen! "
Isaiah 18:3
In the future it will announce Jesus second coming but is there something today that we really need to listen to and take heed? Looking at all those daffodils, it was like God had made them for us to say, 'stop, listen, take heed.'
Is it to be reminded that we don't know the day or hour of His coming so let's not waste an opportunity in telling others about Him? Or don't put off coming to know Jesus - the time is now. You may not get another opportunity - there will be a time when you stand before God and it will be too late, if your name isn't written in the book of life, but it's never too late right now.
Or do you need reminding that we are in a battle? (Ephesians 6:11-17,) Have you heard the call or are you listening to others and gotten confused about this? (1 Corinthians 4:18)
Or maybe you are trying to communicate to people around you what the true good news is. Do the people in your life know that, or are they confused and don't understand what it all means? Do you even know if they are confused, or are they too polite to tell you they don't understand what you mean?
"Again, if the trumpet does not sound a clear call, who will get ready for battle? So 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. Undoubtedly there are all sorts of languages in the world, yet none of them is without meaning. If then I do not grasp the meaning of what someone is saying, I am a foreigner to the speaker, and the speaker is a foreigner to me." 1 Corinthians 14:8-11
I know it can be hard for some of us, believe me I know! I think some of us know in the past what some phrases Christians used and just wasn't clear ie "Jesus saves" - what? What does he save? It's not this! (look past all the wrong theological things in the link and you might 'get' what non-christians or even new christians think when they hear certain phrases.)
I know I'm dreadful at this - I don't have a mobile phone, I'm not up to date with the latest lingo regarding social networking but I am trying. Why? Because it is important as Christians to be able to communicate in a way that whoever comes into our lives they can begin to understand what we are saying. It's not about watering down the bible, it's about being able to communicate what it says effectively.
You don't know who or how someone can come into your life even for a short period of time - even for one a'noon. So the attitude of "I'm too old, or I'm not interested, that's for the younger generation" isn't going to work. So let's not limit ourselves, God wants to do an amazing work through us - it's us and our attitude sometimes that gets in the way.