Yesterday, I heard sirens blaring from across town. When I hear a distant siren, I pray for God’s mercy to appear before the police or ambulance arrives. The sound of a siren has another effect on me. As a cop when I encountered a dangerous situation that required backup, the sound of the responding cover officers was a welcome sound. 

Trusting the Lord in desperate times only comes when our trust is solely in God.  We will join in the surrounding fear and be enslaved by their warnings if we think we are alone and without God’s backup. 

God’s word gives us encouragement about what the Lord is doing even before we utter a call for help, “I will answer them before they even call to me. While they are still talking about their needs, I will go ahead and answer their prayers!” (Isaiah 65:24).

Before we make a spiritual 911 call in prayer asking the Lord to come and help us, the Lord is already en route to meet us at our place of need when we are facing a challenge so great it is wreaking fearful havoc in our lives. 

Our peace in desperate times comes from knowing the Lord is already en route to back us up with His faithfulness for what He promised before we utter a prayer asking for His help.

As a cop who was alone and needed backup, I always felt a renewed strength in whatever was coming against me when I heard the approaching sirens of my backup. That expectancy is what we need at this time in history when so many people have no hope thinking they are alone in the conflict and without any hope of backup. We need to ask the Lord to give us ears to hear the sound of His approaching deliverance.