When The Church Bell Doesn't Ring

The days are unusually calm, some ten miles away from the nearest town. Just the plain sight of the church and the bell on top the small hill gives us comfort.

No one ventured out of the guarded limit. It’s threatening to one’s life to simply venture out of the small and hilly village.

‘Tomorrow’s Sunday’, said a voice tenderly who keep tracked of the days inside our hide out.

Only before few months ago, Sunday mornings had witnessed the church bells ringing one after another. It’s a call to worship. It’s a call to spend the day in the sanctuary of God – with Him and for Him acknowledging our gratitude and praise.

In the countryside where we lived, our church bells are any circular-shaped metallic substances, not necessarily circular if I may add, whose sounds echoed through the hillocks and streams. In some places any metallic remnants of the Japanese forces during World War II are used.

In normal times, when the church bell is ringing, flock of worshippers filled the pews as the proceedings inside the church takes place. Some snoozing as the preacher takes his time while some attentively seek to hear God’s voice.

The Church Bell:

Now the church bell in our village can be seen hanging just outside the church with no one daring to ring it. One cannot underestimate the planning of the attackers. Once our human mind’s filled with jealousy and anger the degree of our savagery easily destroys our so-called civilized nature.

By now folks can tell, easily, by the sound of gunshots, when long range firing took place. The long-range bullets are more dangerous, they warned. The sound of automatic or machine guns do scared us too. Thus, the church bell left more unattended each day.

In one instances, I remember a shoot-out in the small hill where our church situated. It resulted in some lives being lost, which are better left to be forgotten as we‘ve moved on. It’s caused by communal hatred instilled in our minds, which hopefully would serve the political purpose of others.

The area of conflict was small; barely 1760 sq. miles. But the intensity was huge – torching each other’s houses, killing each other, inadequate supply of daily needs, young and old becoming the target, which lasted for a year.

When the Bell’s Not Ringing:

Now, coming back to the voice which uttered, ‘Tomorrow’s Sunday’, a sense of longing for the sanctuary of the house of worship can be felt.

Few people looked around in our hiding place, as if asking, Are we going to ring the church bell tomorrow? Or are we going to the church? Some people looked down unwilling to answer while some said it’d be better to wait till the situation improves.

So, the next day we read verses from the Bible and prayed where we are, led by the elders of the church.
At this time, the desire to be in the sanctuary, here church, of God was far greater than those peaceful times. But we assured each other not to lose hope in the hook of time. For, in the abiding grace of God, we’d not be left consumed.

In those days we tread through the parched land; spiritually dried up. Some even lost their inheritance; some unable to recover from their trampled heart. In our life, we had been through such state of mind, too.

The Approachable God:

In the midst of conflict, suffering, and spiritual dryness – longing for the Lord; our God is within reach. Our God is an approachable God; to the heart who seek Him.

“I will give them a heart to know me, for I am the Lord; and they will be my people (inheritance), and I will be their God, for they will return to me with their whole heart.” Jeremiah 24:7 (my emphasis added)

“You will seek me and find me, when you seek me with all your heart.” Jeremiah 29:13

After a year, in 1998, when the conflicting parties reached a truce, a series of Discipleship Camps were organized in several locations. I had the privileged of joining one such camp, where I stood before men and women, in the altar, begging forgiveness as I seek Him wholeheartedly.

Seeking God Each Day in His Sanctuary:

Now, let’s jumped to my present day situations, my chronic illness has captivated my life on some form. It becomes a phenomenon I can’t simply ignore but acknowledge and try to fight it out.

With my strength alone, I easily get discouraged. But with God everything is possible. So, what I can do best is to seek Him, longed for Him in my parched life.

I have seen the great work of God – for me and my family. However, the bells (the church bells) need to ring in my mind reminding me of my joy of salvation! And as King David puts it,

“You, God, are my God, earnestly I seek you I thirst for you, my whole being longs for you, in a dry and parched land where there is no water. I have seen you in the sanctuary and beheld your power and your glory.

Because your love is better than life, my lips will glorify you. I will praise you as long as I live, and in your name I will lift up my hands.” (Psalms 63: 1-4)

Safe in His Dwelling Place:

Let me take you back to what had happened just before we reached a truce in 1997-98. In the later part of the conflict, womenfolk and children took shelter inside the village church at night.

The church provides security and safety to them. Since the warring ethnicity is of the same faith, no one dare to commit savagery or killings inside the dwellings of the Lord.

Literally and practically, this provides safety for the people in times of trouble. I’ve been to such church-night-shelters several times and I’ve seen people singing hymns harmoniously inside the church. It sounds similar to the song of David, as I get it, although I’m not a theologian who could give further explanation.

Here’s the Psalm of King David with which I can closely relate to,
“One thing I ask from the LORD, this only do I seek: that I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, to gaze on the beauty of the LORD and to seek him in his temple.

For in the day of trouble he will keep me safe in his dwelling; he will hide me in the shelter of his sacred tent and set me high upon a rock.” (Psalms 27:4-5)