Today I went on my first shopping adventure alone in 12 months. It’s the little things in life we take for granted. I went to the store with a list that I intended to follow completely. I hate shopping! The less time it takes the better. My list:
- Downy
- Air Freshener for my room.
- Air Freshener for my car that has been closed up for a year.
- Non-expensive birthday gift for a friend.
I strolled down the clearance aisle and marked two things off my list: room freshener and birthday gift. I strolled along slightly rocking my head side to side as I heard a new song in my head. Then I saw a cheaper freshener. $.98 beat $1.98 (I’m starting to squeak when I walk.) I stuck the previous one on the shelf, grabbed an apple cinnamon freshener and went on my way.
Then I heard it! That still small voice whispering in my ear. “Put that back where you got it.” I kept pushing the cart and moving along as if I wasn’t hearing anything. It didn’t work. “Put it back.” I have learned over the last year that when God is speaking to me I should really listen. But the fleshly rebellion in me tends to say otherwise. So, I argued with that small voice. “It’ll be fine. Someone will put it back.”
Then he kindly reminded me of the word honor as he said to me again, “Put it back. You know it’s the right thing to do.” He was right. I parked my cart in the middle of the aisle, walked back to the shelf and delivered the item back to its original home, two aisles down.
Really? How much time did I waste by arguing with God, who is of course always right, when I could have put it back and been done with it? Stinkin’ rebellion!
Ok, I listened to the still, not so small voice by the time I did what I was supposed to do. I went on about my shopping. In the process of searching for the Downy I passed by the grocery department. There were cakes, cookies, potato chips. Did I mention there were cookies? Oh, the candy aisle! First I picked up the Hershey’s bar and did what any woman who is thinking about eating chocolate would do – I checked the calorie count. Then I saw the M&M’s. There were Snickers and Reese’s and Heath’s oh my!
But I heard the still small voice again. “Put it back.” Seriously?! I had just settled on the M&M’s after carefully looking at the calorie count on each fantastic chocolate wrapper. I was being smart about the whole deal. I thought, it’s my Wal-Mart gift card. I should be able to buy a candy bar if I want. “Put it back.” Flashbacks of the four miles I had run earlier this morning went through my mind. I put the chocolate back (in the same place I got it the first time), and grinned at my obedience this time around.
My friend has been talking about His voice over the past few weeks. Every time she would talk about it I was amazed at how far she had come over the last few months. She’s been listening! Today was a test for me, even though it may seem small. I heard His voice and for a brief moment I turned the volume down. I’m so thankful he is such a forgiving God and has already wiped the episode away.
Elijah listened to the gentle whisper.
Do you have the volume turned up?