Our car radio hadn’t been on, so we wondered out loud, “What’s happening?”
by Bill Jackson
It was a long drive up to Ft. McMurray, Alberta, but it was a beautiful Sunday afternoon with large flocks of geese and cranes heading south as we headed north. It was the end of August 2007, and Shirley and I had just celebrated 50 years of marriage the day before.
All our kids had come home for the occasion, and we’d offered to drive our daughter and her children back to “Fort Mac.” Our nephew Jack had come along to help with the driving.
Later, on our way back, Jack was driving at dusk. He asked me if the headlights would come on automatically. I said, “I think so, but turn the switch anyway.” It was precisely when he touched the switch that a song began to play!
We thought it was coming from the radio, but the radio had not been on except for a brief time earlier for the news. The singer’s voice was not very loud, so I tried turning up the radio volume, but to no avail. The radio was off like I thought and, by the time I turned it on, the singer’s voice had faded away.
I recalled how, in one of our northern bush Bible camps years ago, our sound system had picked up radio signals during a meeting. But our car radio hadn’t been on, so we wondered out loud, “What’s happening?”
To add to our somewhat confused state, the song we’d heard was one of the Gospel songs sung by our son the day before at our celebration!
Then Jack suggested the sound might have come from my cell phone. However, my cell phone puts out ringing sounds, not songs. And that’s when I realized that I didn’t have my cell phone with me, but one I’d borrowed from a friend on the way, because I’d forgotten mine.
My friend Frank, the owner of what I will call the “Frankophone” (it speaks a language different than my phone!), had programmed his phone to play that particular song. When the song came on to announce the call, I didn’t understand.
It made me think about the Trumpet Call that will come when the Lord calls us up and home. “For the trumpet will sound and the dead will be raised incorruptible and we shall be changed” (1 Cor. 15:52b). “Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air and thus we shall always be with the Lord” (1 Thess. 4:15).
If there’s a prelude, a Gospel song would be nice! Prelude or not, I’m glad I’m ready for The Call.
Bill & Shirley Jackson are honorary NCEM members who have ministered in many locations besides their home area of Goodfish Lake, AB. Those who’ve heard Bill preach and teach appreciate his ability to use everyday happenings to effectively illustrate Scriptural truths.
To get to know Bill & Shirley better, you can request a couple of Tribal Trails TV programs with the Jacksons. They are on DVD (#K193, #K194), and are free for the asking (donations to cover costs appreciated).
Adapted from our Northern Lights magazine (Issue #504). Note: some of the locations and involvements of our missionaries may have changed since the original publishing of this article.