Hidden Heroনমুনা

4. Signs and Sirens

The sirens go off. You get up and gear up as fast as you can. Running towards the apparatus floor you witness a big cloud of smoke above your beloved city, and as you jump into the truck you brace yourself for a fierce fight.

Many of us have dreamt of becoming heroes who answer the call when the siren sounds. Firemen, police officers, soldiers, rescue rangers, paramedics, and the list goes on. Some of us reading this might very well be first responders, while others might relate to this scenario not because they dreamt of being the hero, but because they’ve been a victim or witness of disasters such as these.

The neighboring nations have gathered and their settling on Israel’s doorstep. Ready to ravage and hungry to hunt. Maybe they’ve heard about Gideon’s sudden rise or maybe they’ve simply grown tired of this foreign threat among them. But Gideon, covered with the Spirit of God, sounds the alarm and rallies the troops. There are villains in the valley, and they best not take the hill.

We all like to think we will act bravely when called upon in an emergency. Reality is that we are in fact called upon as brave men every day. Called up to lead a family without fear, but full of faith. Called up, if still single, to prepare ourselves to be men, husbands, and fathers of valor. Called up to not sit back, relax, and see what the next generation does when we’re old, but rather stay involved as wise advisors and chiefs who have battled in the brigade and now point the way onwards.

Will you answer the call when the sirens go off? Well, the sirens go off every day, all around you. Starting at home, ringing to hell and back, and trying to force you back into hiding. But that’s not you. It simply can’t be. It should not be. Not anymore, and no longer!

We all need confirmation, as Gideon did. It was not from a place of uncertainty, but rather at a place of seeking certainty. Safety checks, signposts, roadmaps, roll call, and gear prep are all part of preparation for first responders – all part of taking as much certainty as possible into the most uncertain situations.

What confirmation do you need to go out with certainty today? What uncertainties are you facing in your life, when the sirens go off around you, in the world as you know it? Start asking God for His confirmation of your calling every morning before you leave the house. Every Sunday before starting the new week. Every time you face a new challenge.

God gives confirmation of His calling. You just need to know where to look for it. The confirmation you need is all around you. It is in the world in need. It is in God’s Word. It is in the fellowship of other godly men, reassuring us and themselves around a coffee table or a campfire. It is in the longing and the needs of our wives and children. It is with your next-door neighbor facing a crisis, and it’s in the questions society is asking – or even ignoring.

So, take your uncertainties to God despite the odds. Ask Him to confirm your calling. He will be faithful! The bigger question is: will you be faithful? Will you respond when the sirens sound and the smoke smolders? You can. You must. Read the signs and respond to the sirens!

Read Judges 6:33-40 and Reflect on the Following

1. In God’s Kingdom, we are all first responders. Do you see yourself that way?

2. What sirens go off around you every day that you need to start responding to?

3. What confirmations are you waiting on God for in terms of your calling?

4. What do you need to pray about today?