When the Trumpet Blows

"He's going to blow His trumpet soon. He's coming."

Those were the words the homeless man said to my sister's friend, Cindy, after she'd asked him if there was anything she could pray for on his behalf. Cindy, who lives in Minnesota, was describing to my sister Brie what had happened to her last August while she was out evangelizing in Minneapolis.

Bewildered by his remark, Cindy walked away. Wanting to get another glimpse of the man, she turned back around, only to discover he was gone. As darkness loomed, she headed for her car. Fumbling for her keys and tripping over the man's words in her head, Cindy hadn't noticed the police officer approaching.

"Are you OK ma'am?" he asked. She was alone in a sketchy part of town.

"I think so... I have to tell you what just happened to me." She then shared the details about her encounter with the homeless man.

The officer replied, "You're the third person that has said that to me today."

Cindy's experience thrilled my sister Brie and she was eager to share it with another believer. She called our sister-in-law, Alana, and recited what she'd heard. Astonishingly, Alana had a story to tell as well. She enthusiastically unraveled a similar account told to her by Andrea, a small group leader at Alana's church.

Andrea's brother had been driving through South Dakota last September and offered a ride to a seemingly harmless looking man who was walking alone along a deserted stretch of freeway. The stranger happily accepted. As the two men drove along, the stranger made small talk, asking questions about the driver's life and family. He was kind and genuinely interested in what Andrea's brother had to say.

Then suddenly the stranger announced, "OK! You can drop me off here."

Perplexed, the driver replied, "But there isn't anything here..." They were smack in the middle of South Dakota nothingness. There was no logical reason for him to get out of the car. Undeterred, the stranger persisted.

"You've taken me as far as I need to go. Just leave me here."

The driver reluctantly acquiesced.

Then just as the stranger was exiting, he turned to the driver and said, "He's going to blow His trumpet."

"Excuse me?" replied the driver.

"The Messiah, He's coming. He's about to blow His trumpet." And with that, he turned and walked away.

Chills covered the driver's body as he sped off, thoughts spinning as fast as the wheels of his car.

"Could I have been talking to an angel?" he wondered. He glanced back to steal another look at the man but he was nowhere to be seen. Adrenaline and excitement took over and Andrea's brother was oblivious to how fast he was driving. Soon a police officer appeared in his rear-view mirror and he pulled over.

"Sir, do you know why I pulled you over?" asked the officer.

"No Sir." he replied. The driver then attempted to recount the incident with the stranger and the prophetic declaration he made about the Messiah blowing His trumpet.

Unexpectedly, he officer replied, "You're the fourth person today to tell me that story."

Revelation 8,9 and 11 speak of 7 trumpets being blown by 7 different angels. After each angel blows his trumpet, what follows is a series of calamitous events that befall the Earth, causing catastrophic damage and death, thereby ushering in the Apocalypse. Truly scary stuff. Regarding the exact day and time this all occurs, God has remained tight-lipped. Jesus carefully states in Matthew 24:36 that only the Father has that privileged information, yet He instructs us in that same chapter of Matthew to observe the times. It doesn't take a rocket scientist to recognize we're approaching our expiration date. The evening news confirms it every night.

So now what? What am I supposed to do with these miraculous stories I've heard? First, I've chosen to share them with you, knowing full well that I risk being thought of as gullible and ridiculous for believing them. Second, I have accepted them as a spiritual wake-up call during my long winter slumber. It feels like I've spent years in a state of spiritual hibernation. My faith isn't dead, just deeply asleep. The breathing is shallow. The pulse is sluggish. My once razor sharp heart has been dulled by the worries of this life (Luke 21:34). My mission to seek and save the lost has been compromised by dirty dishes, tantrums and soccer practice. If Jesus was to return today, would I hear the words "Well done my good and faithful servant!"? Sometimes I'm not so sure. I've been weighted down with America's yoke - apathy.

Being an American is without a doubt an undeserved blessing. But because we are so blessed we must vigilantly guard against the curse of complacency. Our nation is insulated from extreme poverty, swollen with excess and spoiled by abounding freedom. The end result is a population that can feel entitled and smug. Unless the good Lord intervenes and brings us to our knees through some personal crisis, we may forget that He's even there, forever buoyed by our pride. We'd do ourselves a favor by heeding the warning given to the church in Laodicea.

Jesus says in Revelation 3:15, "I know all the things you do, that you are neither hot nor cold. I wish that you were one or the other! But since you are like lukewarm water, neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of my mouth! You say 'I am rich. I have everything I want. I don't need a thing!' And you don't realize you are wretched and miserable and poor and blind and naked. So I advise you to buy gold from me - gold that has been purified by fire. Then you will be rich." True wealth is only found in the arms of Jesus. I believe my soul has been impoverished for quite some time.

When the last trumpet sounds, I pray that I am dressed and ready to meet my King. In the story of the 10 bridesmaids, in Matthew 25, the women were waiting to meet the bridegroom. Five of the bridesmaids failed to bring enough oil for their lamps to burn through the long night and consequently were refused entry into the marriage feast. Jesus called these 5 women foolish. To be a fool is to be a simpleton, someone who lacks wisdom. These women ceased to give careful thought to their meeting with the bridegroom. They were too casual, too lackadaisical. When it comes to our relationship with God, we cannot just "wing it". We must be thoughtful. We must be intentional. For us to enter the heavenly feast, we must be prepared.

What does "being prepared" look like? It looks like a servant busy doing his master's business. According to Matthew 25:31-46, Jesus will separate all of humanity into two groups. The two groups being: those who are doers and those who are not.

To the doers, Jesus says, "Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the creation of the world. For I was hungry and you fed me. I was thirsty and you gave me a drink. I was a stranger and you invited me into your home. I was naked and you gave me clothing. I was sick and you cared for me. I was in prison and you visited me."

To those who refrain He says, "Away with you, you cursed ones, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his demons. For I was hungry and you didn't feed me. I was thirsty and you didn't give me a drink. I was a stranger and you didn't invite me into your home. I was naked and you didn't give me clothing. I was sick and in prison and you didn't visit me."

One group is responsive and impassioned and one group is apathetic. Having previously been of the good intentioned tepid persuasion, I can attest that it feels like there's this giant chasm between the two extremes. But in reality, the only thing needed to bridge the distance is a simple decision to repent.

Whether it's tonight, tomorrow or 200 years years from now, the trumpet is going to blow. When that day comes, may we all be able to say, "I'm with the band."