A QUESTION OF FAITH
With Rev Peter Bolton of Hope Community Church SIRENS, we hear them all the time. We may be laid in bed, we may be walking down the street and we often hear the siren long before we see the emergency vehicle. The emergency vehicle is needed somewhere, some person or people are in a desperate need and are dependant on that particular emergency service or maybe more than one.
It is sad to see sometimes as I witnessed on a dual carriageway an ambulance on it’s way to an emergency lights flashing, siren going, yet one car in the outside lane was not pulling over, the ambulance had to slow down as the car continued in the outside lane totally oblivious to the ambulance. The driver was clearly distracted, obviously not using the mirrors, may be the driver had music on so loud that it drowned out the sirens of the ambulance. We will never know the reason for not being aware of the sirens!
We may think I would not be caught out, I would be alert and observing acting upon what I see and hear, especially when hearing the sirens. But what about the sirens of other people? No I don’t mean individuals running up and down imitating an emergency vehicle. I mean the sirens of people who are in need, not in need in terms of being rushed to hospital or needing to be cut from their car. But are in need, in terms of struggling with life, people who are without people around them to support them. People who are hurting because of relationship problems, finance problems, simply needing someone to speak to. Unfortunately many of us are a bit like the driver in the outside lane that was totally unaware of the sirens, giving warning that there was a need. The sirens of our own business, our own interests etc. There will be many sirens of need around us, but again sadly they are drowned out.
The Bible remains the best selling book, but sadly it doesn’t seem to acted upon. For in it God our creator gives us lots of advice of how we all can get the best out of life, that’s what the Bible is, a handbook for life. In it is lots of great advice. Paul who, was also known as Saul, wrote lots of letters in the Bible and one in particular he wrote to the Church in Philippi. In it he advised the people ‘don’t look out only for your own interests, but take an interest in others too’ I’m sure you would agree it is sound advise which needs to be followed today, that way we won’t miss the sirens of others.