A Special Thought for You
Our hearts are full of gratitude for you, our dear friends, supporters, and ministry partners. You have faithfully joined GOD’s mission to rescue and care for His precious children and the persecuted in Southeast Asia.
Today marks the start of the Feast of Trumpets, one of the most significant dates on the Jewish calendar.
As a special gift of encouragement, our founder, Al Henson, and our team wanted to share this devotional with you:
The King Is Coming – A Devotional from Al Henson
“In the seventh month, in the first day of the month, shall ye have a sabbath, a memorial of blowing of trumpets, an holy convocation.” — Leviticus 23:24
God established the Feast of Trumpets, called Yom Teruah, as a special appointed time for His people. It was marked by the blowing of trumpets—a sound that could not simply be ignored.
Throughout Scripture, the trumpet was a call. It could summon God’s people to gather, awaken them to attention, warn them to prepare, and call them into the presence of God.
For us as followers of Jesus, the trumpet also points our hearts forward. Scripture tells us that one day our Lord Himself will return “with the trump of God.”
“For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God.” — 1 Thessalonians 4:16
As we remember the Feast of Trumpets, perhaps we should quiet our hearts and ask: Can you hear the call of the trumpet?
What is God calling us to?
1. THE TRUMPET CALLS US TO AWAKEN
“It is high time to awake out of sleep: for now is our salvation nearer than when we believed.” — Romans 13:11
There is a spiritual sleep that can slowly settle over our hearts.
We can become consumed with work, possessions, entertainment, social media, relationships, ambitions, and the cares of everyday life. None of these things necessarily appear dangerous, but little by little they can capture our attention until the eternal things of God become distant.
The trumpet sounds: Wake up!
Life is short. Eternity is real. Our salvation is nearer than when we first believed.
Can you hear the call of the trumpet?
2. THE TRUMPET CALLS US TO REPENT
Jesus began His public ministry with these words:
“Repent: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.” — Matthew 4:17
Repentance is more than feeling sorry about our sin. Biblical repentance involves a change of heart and mind that produces a turning.
Turning away from carnality.
Turning away from selfishness.
Turning away from pride.
Turning away from the values and attractions of this world.
And most importantly: Turning completely to Jesus.
“Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world.” — 1 John 2:15
The question is not merely, What am I doing wrong?
Perhaps the deeper question is: What has my heart?
What receives my thoughts, emotions, time, affection, and devotion?
The trumpet calls us to turn from anything that has taken the place that belongs to Jesus and turn our whole heart toward Him.
Can you hear the call of the trumpet?
3. THE TRUMPET CALLS US TO WORSHIP
Repentance does not simply mean turning away. It means turning toward Someone.
We turn to Jesus.
“O come, let us worship and bow down: let us kneel before the LORD our maker.” — Psalm 95:6
The trumpet calls us back into the presence of God.
We lay down our pride.
We lay down our plans.
We lay down our distractions.
We lay down our own kingdoms.
And once again we enthrone Jesus as Lord of our lives.
True preparation for the coming of Christ is not merely looking toward an event. It is loving and worshiping the Person who is coming. The heart that longs for His appearing should be a heart that longs for His presence today.
Can you hear the call of the trumpet?
4. THE TRUMPET CALLS US TO WATCH
Jesus said:
“But of that day and hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels of heaven, but my Father only.” — Matthew 24:36
And then:
“Watch therefore: for ye know not what hour your Lord doth come.” — Matthew 24:42
The trumpet is not given so that we can predict the day of His coming.
It is a call to live watching for the One who is coming.
We do not need to know the date. We need to know Jesus.
Watching means living with our spiritual eyes open. It means recognizing that this world is temporary and eternity is real.
It means living today in the light of that Day.
We do not know when He is coming. But we know Who is coming.
Can you hear the call of the trumpet?
5. THE TRUMPET CALLS US TO BE READY
Jesus continued:
“Therefore be ye also ready: for in such an hour as ye think not the Son of man cometh.” — Matthew 24:44
There is a difference between believing that Jesus will return someday and living as though Jesus could return.
Readiness affects everything.
It affects what we value.
It affects what we invest our thoughts and emotions in.
It affects how we spend our time.
It affects our relationships.
It affects how we use what God has entrusted to us.
It affects how we love and serve others.
If we truly believe the King is coming, we want to be found faithfully loving Him, walking with Him, and doing what He has called us to do.
Can you hear the call of the trumpet?
6. THE TRUMPET CALLS US TO REMEMBER
THE KING IS COMING!
Why awaken? Because the King is coming.
Why repent? Because the King is coming.
Why worship? Because the King is coming.
Why watch? Because the King is coming.
Why be ready? Because the King is coming!
Paul writes:
“For the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.” — 1 Corinthians 15:52
And again:
“For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God.” — 1 Thessalonians 4:16
One day the trumpet will no longer simply remind us that He is coming.
The trumpet will sound.
Our hope is not ultimately in a feast, a date, a sign, or an event. Our hope is Jesus Christ.
Therefore, the trumpet is not given so that we can predict the day of His coming.
It is a call to awaken, repent, worship, watch, and prepare our hearts—because the King is coming.
CAN YOU HEAR THE CALL OF THE TRUMPET?
AWAKEN.
REPENT.
WORSHIP.
WATCH.
BE READY.
THE KING IS COMING!
Prayer
Father,
Thank You for the sound of the trumpet that calls our hearts back to You.
Awaken us from spiritual sleep.
Bring us to repentance, turning us away from carnality, selfishness, pride, and the love of this world, and turning our whole hearts toward Jesus.
Call us again to worship—to lay everything at Your feet and give Jesus His rightful place in our lives.
Teach us to watch, not trying to predict the day or hour, but living every day with our eyes upon Jesus.
Help us to be ready, faithfully loving You, serving You, and accomplishing what You have entrusted to us.
And place within our hearts a fresh longing for the return of our Lord.
The King is coming!
Until that day, may we be found faithful.
“Even so, come, Lord Jesus.”
Amen.
