Country Hills Church isn’t a building with a bell tower, in fact most Evangelical churches have gotten away from using church bells. I was thinking about this recently and wondered 2 things. First, why did churches use bells in the first place, and second I wondered if God was trying to tell me (and you) something.
Church Bells were first used in about 400AD and began to be widely used throughout Europe within a few hundred years after that. Originally the bells were used for the community and would signify fire, danger, attack etc. depending on the pattern or melody. Over time they began to be used more musically, and to signify life events and service times.
I’m not for or against church bells, I simply wonder if there are times we miss hearing the “church bells” in our lives. You would think we would always notice them, but there is a church located less than a block away from our church building that rings the bells regularly? I don’t often notice them, and if you have ever been near our building when they are ringing you may have missed them too. They are often hidden under the sound of traffic and construction, much like the voice of the Holy Spirit is sometimes masked underneath the layers of whatever is loudest in our lives. Much like a church bell that sounds the same tone or melody repeatedly I think God often speaks to us in this way too. Speaking the same thing into our lives again and again in various ways in a short span of time.
Have we trained our ears and our community as the people of the centuries past did to hear and recognize what is ringing out? Have you taken time lately to listen? Is God ringing out something just for you through the voice of His Spirit that you are missing? Messages meant to encourage, warn, and bless.
Take time this week and this to turn your ear to the still small voice of the Spirit of God.
My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me. John 10:27 (ESV)