False Alarm -- October 2009

For you know quite well that the day of the Lord’s return will come unexpectedly, like a thief in the night. When people are saying, everything is peaceful and secure, then disaster will fall on them as suddenly as a pregnant woman’s labor pains begin. And there will be no escape. So be on your guard, not asleep like the others. Stay alert and be clearheaded. – 1 Thess. 5:2-3,6NLT

The first time it happened it was 2:16am. The night was still and silent. We were tucked cozily underneath the covers—my husband and I, our two older sons in their room, and the baby in the nursery. We were grateful for a night of rest after a day that had been chalked full of activity. But the peace was interrupted by our house alarm. Our home system went off without any warning. The sound of the blaring horn ripped through the house and blasted into our rural neighborhood with startling brilliance. Against the backdrop of the still wee-morning hours, the noise was jarring. Jerry and I jolted to an upright position. My heart dropped from my chest and into my stomach. My husband bolted out of bed and ran toward the keypad mounted on the wall by our bedroom door. He looked to see which part of the house it might indicate had been broken into. I raced to the children’s rooms to gather them in my arms. We were frightened.

It seemed like an eternity, but after only a few moments, my husband disarmed the system when he noticed that the keypad hadn’t specified that any windows had been broken or doors opened. He went to each part of our small house and checked for himself. Nothing was ajar. Nothing was broken. Nothing had been touched. 

It was a false alarm.

It’s happened several times since then—this menacing false alarm. Once we were out of town when we got a call from the alarm company letting us know that the police had been dispatched to the house in our absence. In fact, just a few days ago in middle of the day, the boys were playing, Jerry was watching football, and I was feeding the baby. The siren startled us, but I noticed something interesting this time. Our shock was only momentary. Just shortly after the initial interruption, everyone went back to their normal routine. Jerry kept watching his game and the boys kept playing with their action figures. Even the baby kept on reaching for the tiny pieces of broccoli that were on his high chair tray. And I, I just calmly walked over to the system, deactivated it and went back to the baby. 

Nobody was concerned.

No one was frightened.

There was no urgency to respond. Everyone went on as if nothing unusual was happening.

When the company called to check on us, I answered and said what I always do, “Thanks for calling. We’re fine. It was a false alarm.” 

Man, we've gotta get that thing fixed. You see, I’m a bit afraid. I studied the reaction of my family to the false alarm that day. I made a mental note of how dangerous it could be for us to become desensitized to it, so unscathed by its roar. What if it were serious? What if it were real? What if it required attention and action to ensure our safety? And yet no one responded. What if we assumed it was a false alarm on an occasion when it really wasn’t? What if we ignore it and kept on as usual when the alarm was meant to get us to take necessary action? How we respond to the alarm could make a huge difference in how things get resolved.

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There’s an alarm going off. Can you hear it? It’s ringing in your church. It’s ringing in your community. It’s ringing in your country and in your world. And if you listen closely you’ll catch a faint hint of it ringing deep within the chambers of your heart as the Spirit of God prepares you for the final days. The earth is groaning as it prepares for the second advent of Christ. As the signs of the times line up in accordance with God’s word, the alarm is resounding into the stillness of our existence. 

Will the body of Christ be startled only for a moment to then return to its usual activities as if nothing is happening? Will the urgency of the call from mundane Christian living to outrageous evangelism and fearless faith be ignored?

Will the church listen?

Will you listen? 

It’s time. Time to take seriously the alarm that is ringing out for all those within the house of God to hear.

The hour draws nigh.

It’s not a false alarm.

Priscilla Shirer, Going Beyond Ministries