Dear church,

The great people of faith find meaning in seemingly inconsequential things. The world doesn’t know what to make of our bread and cup, of our songs, of our gatherings, of our “fellowship.” It also won’t know what to make of the sound of the trumpet. 

These things are given to us by God. And only the faithful know Him. 

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

The people of true faith will find meaning in these things. They take the bread and cup and remember the cross – and discern the body. They sing the songs as people longing for a home. They gather knowing they always will gather – forever and ever. They fellowship and listen to other stories of the faith. 

And when the trumpet sounds, they will know what that means.

The faithless, of course, will roll their eyes. Moses knew this very well (Numbers 11:1). The faithful person stands in the midst of that faithlessness and remains strong. Perhaps he or she even ignores the whispers and grumblings. 

“Arise, O Lord, and let your enemies be scattered, and let those who hate you flee before you. … Return, O Lord, to the ten thousand thousands of Israel.” It is a picture of faithfulness – to say that every time among the doubters, no matter what, even when the way looks blocked or after the day has been hard.

The people of faith find meaning in this, and the world doesn’t know what to make of it. 

Chris