It was the most bizarre thing. I was standing at the kitchen sink, not thinking about anything…and I hear this familiar whisper, “Have your husband call about cleaning the septic tank”?
My mind almost had to catch the whispers aiming at my heart…
As I just
couldn’t understand why my God would care about a septic tank.
But then, I hear it again, “Clean the septic tank”.
I start questioning the voice, thinking, how strange that out of nowhere, my God would even really care about something buried snugly, tens of feet under.
Yet scripture warns, God cares about not just what is seen, but what is hidden in our souls. On the surface we can look well, but it’s what is hidden deep, that God cares about most.
And then, a third time, “I am God. I know and see all things. Trust me, clean the septic tank”.
And it was that third time, that last phrase that struck deeper than some hinting or casual “suggestion…
Words gripped me like a warning and I knew it was then I needed, no, I had to act upon it.
My husband calls some friends. The next day, our septic is cleaned.
Our friend tells my husband….“You couldn’t have waited any longer. Your septic tank was completely full. If you had waited any longer it would have overflowed and you would have had to pay thousands to dig a whole new septic field.”
And everyone out here in the country knows, changing an entire septic system after the drain field gets clogged can costs tens of thousands, if found compromised.
In writing this, my guess is, we likely know…God cares about babies, and big moves, transitioning, and homeschooling…
But to think, God cares about a septic? Why does that blow my mind? Why does He love us so much to warn us before disaster strikes?
Just the thought of a God so kind, makes me humbled and ever so dependent, not just hoping to “go to church” but desiring to desperately stay intimate, close to the vine, heading His voice, and remaining close to the Father of grace who knows all things.
It’s been a year or two.
His Spirit leads me to find things I never knew, searching the internet, finding things my own mind would never would have led me to.
He promises break-through…
But right now the walls seem too high, the way far too dark, enemies prowling and
seem to lurk so aggressively, I don’t even see how God can work.
But then He calls, whispers, and like the septic, He asks solely for obedience…
At first I question.
But then, He reminds me of His faithfulness with the septic system.
And I am overwhelmed at the reality that Our God is omnipresent, ever knowing…
He sees the motives, the heart plans, the junk hidden beneath the bright green grass finely mowed for all to see. So I listen, and obey. Trusting the God who knows the way….
His plans I follow, as scripture tells us the test of true faith is, “His sheep hear and obey His voice”….
But how often do we miss what God has for us because we silence Him or intentionally choose not to obey?
And oh how I want to walk by faith, not by what I see.
Still, where did we get that faith is about “feeling” or “emotion”, when faith is all about letting go our own will and letting Him lead the way….
Faith has always been strapped to humble submission, like a child who obey’s a parent simply out of love.
And I am reminded of Moses hesitancy to free the Israelite’s from Pharaoh, or Jeremiah’s rebuttal to God, saying, “Who am I to speak for God, I am but a child”.
And where did we get that faith is always eager enthusiasm, or doubtless plowing forward in His direction…when often faith accompanies fear and hesitancy…but chooses to obey Him regardless, anyway.
For isn’t faith more about trusting God more than ourselves, looking back at His track record, and knowing He is faithful even if we can’t see it yet? Doesn’t faith mean we trust what He highlights in our consciousness more that what carnal eyes can see?
Will we walk by faith or sight?
People have been asking that question from the beginning of time.
Like the septic tank….I finally post and call and walk where He is leading.
The situation gets a cleaning. I rejoice as the way now seems so bright and delivered into the hands of God. I become overwhelmingly ecstatic.
And I find myself standing in awe that our omnipotent, omnipresent God can see the whole map, the entire situation though we only had a glimpse….and we can trust Him when we let go and willingly hold His hand.
Today friends, won’t you know, believe, look back and realize that no matter how it looks…
He never fails us when we follow His plan.
And even if you don’t know it yet…scripture tells us…He is faithful to the end.
His way is bright and faithful even if we can’t see the light.
And whether it’s a big life decision, or a small nudging to go or do or say something we can’t grasp the reason for quite yet…
We can walk in obedience, like sheep trusting the good Shepherd, because His plans will never fail us, His feet will never lead us where there is no light…
He is the God who sees what lies deep under the green, carefully mowed grass of our lives.
And He is whispering, calling, asking those of us who say He is our Shepherd, “Will you now obey?”
He asks us to follow. And when we do…there is always, always blessing attached to it…
Like an overflowing septic, needing to be emptied.
Will you choose to follow?
4 Comments
Joining you in striving to listen for God’s voice: it requires daily intention, a lifetime of attention, and an open and willing heart.
This post is such a powerful example of leaning into His voice and being obedient to respond. Thank you for sharing at Weekend Whispers.
Thank you Jen for once again speaking words I needed. God has used beautiful sisters in faith to encourage me and remind me this morning that even those things I cannot see . . . He knows and He is at work. Praise and thanks to Him! His blessings to you!
That’s really a nice article. thanks for sharing