Fire Alarms and God

So once again it was a nice early wake up call this morning - silly fire alarms going off at like 2am! Grrr, i was having a great sleep and then off goes the fire alarm which is so loud and noisy, i am not entirely sure how some people manage to sleep through it.

After our R.A's and Managers checked to see who was here and who was not, and after some people (who had obviously been out on the town), had finally shut up long enough for people to hear their own names and for our managers to give a quick talk we got back inside around 2:30am. Most of us (i think) got off to sleep again in a short space of time which was pretty good.

When i was in the shower this morning, this whole fire alarm thing got me thinking..... why? well let me explain. This all makes sense in my head so hopefully it makes sense when written down.

We are deep in sleep in the early hours of the morning (in this case) and then the fire alarm goes off and wakes people up.

What happens when the fire alarm goes off?

• We wake up (or at least most of us do)
• We do what we have been told to do which is assemble outside in our "wing groups" in the courtyard.
• We are obedient to the fire alarm - it is a signal which tells us to do something and we go ahead and do it.... STRAIGHT AWAY.
• Its not like we wake up and sit in our rooms and contemplate going outside or not - we just do it.
• People don't know if there is an actual fire, if its a drill or as the case usually is in Taurima - a bug is caught in the fire alarm sensor in someone's room. Because we have no idea, its not like we are going to stay in our rooms and risk getting burnt or getting injured on the chances that it may be an actual fire.

The same would happen any time during the day, no matter what we are doing, we all head outside to the assembly point and wait for instructions.

So why the title Fire Alarms and God?

If we are this obedient to something as important as a fire alarm (which could theoretically save our lives), why then are we not always this obedient to the Lord our God who has already saved our lives (or at least some of our lives?)

It seems that often in our lives, God is trying to tell us things and we do not listen, we tend to ignore him and pretend that he is not telling us these things - why,

• because we may be afraid or scared of the outcomes.
• because we are comfortable where we are and we do not want to step out of our comfort zones
• because we think we know better than God does

as well as many other reasons.

The thing is, we all ( i know i specifically do) need to learn to start obeying God and following the signs that he gives us, as much as we obey and follow the signs or signals that fire alarms give us.

When a fire alarm goes off in the middle of the night, we don't risk our lives staying where we are comfortable (tucked up nice and warm in bed), instead we step out of our comfort zones (get out of bed, not matter how asleep we are or how un beautiful we look) and make the move to safety.

When God is calling us to something, yes it might be a risk for us and yes we will have to step out of our comfort zones and change our lives but would you rather "stay in your room tucked up where it is nice and warm in bed" and risk your life or follow the one who has already saved our lives?

My challenge for you all is to stop wondering why we are where we are but instead listen for that "fire alarm" which may be going off in your life and start to obey God and follow his signals as much as we obey fire alarms.

¹¹ For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.

- Jeremiah 29:11 (New International Version)

Well that is all my rambling on for now, i hope that actually makes sense :)

God Bless,

Kathryn