Seventh-day Adventist® Church

I noticed a sign today announcing a road closure on a given date due to the Olympic Torch route. It is almost two weeks notice. A big yellow sign purposefully placed in a prominent public position. (A lot of P words in that sentence! Would have been funny if it was a petite purple sign.)

I remember seeing a sign last year welcoming visitors in Telford to the BUC Congress. It was the BUC Youth Congress over Easter. What a thrill to think, "I'm a part of that!"

And driving into London a couple of years ago seeing a sign about major delays due to a march in central London. I realised that that was the parade I was on my way to join, the SEC Youth march against gun and knife crime. Wow. I was going to be a part of that.

Different road signs tell us different things. Round road signs instruct us. Triangular ones warn us. The one I saw today notified me.

Jesus told us about signs. That various things would happen before he returns. And Jesus asked us to get involved in instructing, warning, and notifying people of His return. (Matthew 24)

Signs are great if you take notice. If you don't, then you can get into trouble, maybe a fine, maybe a driving ban. Of course, it's even better when everyone takes notice of the signs.

I wonder what signs God has been showing me but I have been too busy looking in the wrong direction? Sometimes on familiar roads we get used to the surroundings and forget to notice the signs. How true this is of my faith experience. It's easy to go through the motions, travel the same route, process my time with God, act out attendance at church. But how much more benefit would I have if I read God's signs? God's communication to me.

It's not just a few roads that will be closed at the end of time, the whole world will be closed. Maybe I should read the signs more often, prepare myself for the disruption, and tell others to do the same. I should be preparing to be a part of that.

-Pr Nathan Stickland