“More Cowbells Please” by Justin March
“How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him who brings good news, who publishes peace, who brings good news of happiness, who publishes salvation, who says to Zion, ‘Your God reigns.’ Isaiah 52:7
It was a crisp summer morning in Ettal, Germany, and as I opened the patio door to breathe in some of that mountain air, I was overcome by the beauty of those Bavarian Alps. The majestic mountains, the lush pastures, and the clear blue waters awakened my soul, and I thought to myself, “this is a postcard kind of morning.” I was at peace, taking it all in, and relishing in God’s wondrous creation when suddenly I heard a faint sound in the distance. It was a sound we don’t hear in the city, and at first, I found it unrecognizable as I have been trapped in my suburbia lifestyle. But then I remembered, that we are in the Alps, and we are surrounded by farmland.
You see, in this quaint little town, hotels are stuck right in the middle of farming communities. They are unlike farms we have here in the states, and most are modest, with a small crop and maybe a few animals that roam the hillside. You do not hear the roar of combine engines, nor do you see the spray of irrigation systems or pesticides. You do not see the multitude of cattle being raised to satisfy our insatiable appetites for beef and leather-made goods. And you definitely do not see the semi-trucks coming in and out of these little farms to load up their goods and transport them across the country.
Instead, we learned that this small farming community was inhabited by families who were using their land to take care of each other and maybe a little extra to support their friends and neighbors. Some farms had a few goats, maybe some sheep, and if they were fortunate, they might have a couple of cows. But, unlike the plans we have for the cattle here in the states, their cows are family members and treated as such. They are used to provide the milk the family needs, graze the lands and keep the pastures manicured, and befriend their masters and keep them company in those beautiful Alps. And you know that sound I could not quite put my finger on? It was actually the sound of cowbells that dangled from these magnificent creatures’ necks.
Jessica and I had a little extra time that morning so we headed out the front door of our hotel to take a short walk. We were enjoying that crisp air together, relishing in God’s magnificent landscapes, and really taking advantage of our time together. But, just as we were strolling through this quaint little neighborhood, I heard that sound again. It was a sound that seemed to be calling out to me. A sound that kept reminding me to be thankful for this incredible journey and to relish in the beauty God had surrounded me with. And when I heard that cowbell again, I looked to the top of the hillside and there was a cow majestically looking over the entire neighborhood.
Now that we are back home, the sound of the cowbell keeps ringing in my ears. It won’t go away, and you know what, I don’t believe I want it to. It brings me back to the good time we had in Germany, the great relationships we built with our fellow travelers and the magnificence of God’s wondrous creations. It makes me feel at peace as I cannot stop thinking about how the cow seemed to be looking over its’ community and how that bell would awaken everyone involved if danger tried to lurk within.
Is God using simple sounds, like the cowbell, to assure us of His presence and His understanding of our trials and hardships? Is He standing at the top of the hillside, looking over us, and ringing His bell when the evil forces try to penetrate our communities? My friends, I believe the ringing in my ears is no coincidence. That bell that seems to continue sounding off, maybe the calling from Christ we need to remind ourselves that He walks beside us and has our back.
Whether the ringing is faint or loud, I believe that the sound of the cowbell is an awakening for all of us. Sometimes it sounds like it is way off in the distance as we separate ourselves from each other and God’s calling for our lives. But sometimes it rings loud in our ears, and we come together as a community and help one another find our paths back to The One who is looking over us.
I will never forget the sounds of those bells I heard in Ettal, and I will always remember how they made me feel. They brought me peace and comfort and installed hope in me that all is not lost. When I am feeling down and out, and when my faith is shaken by all the evil this world tries to surround me with, it is this ringing that reminds me to come back home. It is the sound that God is using in my life to make sure I recognize that there are those that are lost and need guidance to be found. And it is the sound that brings me back to His path and helps me to understand my mission and follow its’ calling.
What will you do this week to answer the ringing of God’s call? Will you allow it to be faint as you wander on your own and ignore the sounds He wants you to hear? Or, will you allow it to ring loud in your hearts, in your souls, and in your minds so you are called back home to be His hands and feet in a world that is so desperate for those glorious messages? As you progress down your paths, as you encounter people who are different than yourself, and as you uncover hardships in this world that you may have a chance to make a difference in, I pray you to answer the cowbells in your life and understand that God has your back. His bells are ringing my friends, and the only question is this. Are you willing to listen, are you willing to follow, and are you willing to bring others with you as you find your way back home?
