1 Now the Lord said to Moses, 2 “Make two trumpets of hammered silver for calling the community to assemble and for signaling the breaking of camp. 3 When both trumpets are blown, everyone must gather before you at the entrance of the Tabernacle.[a] 4 But if only one trumpet is blown, then only the leaders—the heads of the clans of Israel—must present themselves to you.
5 “When you sound the signal to move on, the tribes camped on the east side of the Tabernacle must break camp and move forward. 6 When you sound the signal a second time, the tribes camped on the south will follow. You must sound short blasts as the signal for moving on. 7 But when you call the people to an assembly, blow the trumpets with a different signal. 8 Only the priests, Aaron’s descendants, are allowed to blow the trumpets. This is a permanent law for you, to be observed from generation to generation.
9 “When you arrive in your own land and go to war against your enemies who attack you, sound the alarm with the trumpets. Then the Lord your God will remember you and rescue you from your enemies. 10 Blow the trumpets in times of gladness, too, sounding them at your annual festivals and at the beginning of each month. And blow the trumpets over your burnt offerings and peace offerings. The trumpets will remind the Lord your God of his covenant with you. I am the Lord your God.”
These are to signal the people to gather, signal them to move on, signal for war and signal for celebration. These signals both provide direction and are a reminder of the Lord.
Signals can be very good memory tricks and ways of communicating to others (as long as they know the signals). For instance turn signals make driving around other cars safer because it allows other drivers to know what you are planning to do. Also, with children, we may raise a hand, which tells them it is time to be quiet. Signals help us to remember and call us to obedience.
But do we have modern signals with God? Certainly as a people of God we do, but sometimes we set our own signs and signals with God. The rainbow is one such symbol which the church shares. This symbol originated with Noah and is still a reminder of God's promise. Looking at a rainbow signals the end of the rain, the beginning of a promise and we see the beauty that God has created.
Church bells can also be a signal. They can announce the time and sometimes are a call to worship (although that use seems to have decreased over the years). They also have been used to signal celebration and war, just as the trumpets God instructed Moses to fashion.
So what are some personal signals? One signal I use is scripture cards. I keep one on my dashboard in my car and each time I see it, I am reminded of God and to stay tight with God. It calls me to a relationship of love and reminds me to remember God and that I am loved. I put this in place to have that extra reminder of my relationship with God and to keep nurturing it.
Do you have signals with God? I would love to hear about them and I am guessing we could all grow from hearing each others. Possibly we might want to adopt one.
If you don't have any signals with God, consider and set up a way for you and God to communicate. Maybe it will be a sound or a sight, but something that calls you into obedience and deeper relationship with God.
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