Every Morning Bells

Every morning...

My front porch...

     A cup of hot tea...

          My Bible...

               And the bells.

As I meet with my Saviour in prayer and in His Word, the stillness of the moment is interrupted.

Bells.

     Bells...

          Bells......

First one neighbor to my left. Then another to my right. Then behind. Then across the street. They ring them for several minutes, and with every new tinkling my heart breaks.

First it breaks for sadness for my neighbors.
Then it breaks for sadness for my Saviour.
Then it breaks... for me.

I imagine the Muslim call to prayer over loudspeakers each day has the same effect to missionaries serving in Muslim countries.

The ringing starts as early as 5 AM and continues throughout the morning. It will be repeated again in the evening.

They are ringing the bells to wake up their gods.
The gods that cannot hear...
     The gods that cannot help...
          The gods that bind a people in darkness and hopelessness.

My heart breaks for them to know the one true God who loves them and gave His Son to save them.

My heart breaks for my Saviour because He deserves their adoration and praise, and yet He is not receiving it.

And my heart breaks for me...

I see their dedication.
     I see their faithfulness to false gods.
          And I am ashamed.

I am ashamed every time I rush through prayer... and they spend several minutes ringing bells.

They do it in bondage and fear and the hopes of earning a better standing in the next life.

What is my motive?

My debt was paid for me...
     I have liberty...
          I have a living Saviour who loves me...

I can call out to Him and He hears and answers!

Gratitude.
     Love.
          Hope.
               Closeness and intimacy.

They should call me to my knees. They should draw me to His throne. They should drive me to faithfulness and worship and praise.

Bells.

     Bells....

          Bells.......

I hate them. And yet as they ring I hear my Saviour call out...

"Call out to me. You need no bells. I hear you clearly. I am not sleeping. I am waiting for you."

Bells. So I sit out on the front porch and hear the bells that remind me how precious the Bible in my lap is and how priceless my time with my Saviour is.