Captain Larry Ellis, a US Marine Corps Chaplain, tells the story of a Marine battle where the enemy was across the river from the Marine’s position.

Intelligence was sketchy so no one knew for sure the size of the force they were going to face. General Hoffman, commander of the Marine unit, told Captain Ellis how a demoralizing element was added to this already fear-laden environment. One very dark night a bugler across the river began to play various bugle calls. The effect on the Marines was to make them wonder at the boldness of their enemy. What did these bugle calls mean? Were they so confident that they did not feel they needed to mask their positions or their size? Fear began to rise tremendously.

In response, General Hoffman instructed his bugler to answer every bugle call. “Play it back, note for note, just as it comes,” he told his bugler.  So, that night the Marine bugler echoed every note of the enemy’s bugle calls. The General said, “The trumpet is such a superior instrument that the clear sharp tones of the trumpet pierced the darkness.”

The effect upon the Marines was electric. It banished their fear, reminded them of their courage, their unity, their sacred honor. It reminded them they were Marines! As General Hoffman finished the story he went to his trophy case and pulled out the captured bugle.

Chaplain Ellis summed it up this way: “The church seems to have forgotten that the Kingdom of God is won by soldiers of faith. The battle is ever raging and if we are going to beat back the darkness we must remain faithful. What we need is a Superior Instrument, sharp and clear and penetrating. We need a Trumpet that will pierce the darkness!”

We need to faithfully follow and serve Jesus every day and, in His strength, rally to His call!