Hearken to His Voice

     God speaks through our thoughts. Isn't that amazing?
     Yesterday I was pulling up weeds in the large sandbox we have in our backyard where our grandchildren play. As I was pulling near the  stairs that leads to the top platform, I had a thought, which went like this: 'Wasp nests usually are under the stairs,' but I didn't see any upon a quick inspection.  I, then reasoned this thought away, by thinking another thought;' Maybe because it is getting close to Fall now, they have gone away,' and I left it at that.
     When I was trying to pull a very spiky week embedded at the back of the bottom of the first stair, suddenly I saw buzzing around me, as if given a military order to attack, about 15 wasps. Immediately, I got up and started walking quickly to the house, trying not to have fear, and calling on the name of Jesus, because I knew I had been stung a few times. I am allergic to wasp stings, so when I got inside I immediately called my husband to tell him what had happened. I didn't want to pass out, and no one know what had occurred.
     He told me to take a Benadryl, which I did. I also took an Advil for inflammation, and rubbed Benadryl ointment on the 3 stings I had. This, along with Jesus' help, I know kept the effect of the stings from getting worse.
     The point I am making, and reiterating to myself is that God's voice, sometimes comes through our own thoughts, as it seems. If I would have listened to the initial thought that "wasps usually build their nests under the stairs," I would have stopped pulling weeds and checked thoroughly under each step, and found the big one. Then I would have killed them with soapy water and wouldn't have gotten stung at all. But because I really didn't want to stop pulling weeds, and do that, I countered the initial God thought of wisdom and warning, with one I created myself. It's a very subtle thing, sometimes, that occurs inside of us, and the more sensitive we become to His voice, and respond to it in obedience, the more protection we will get.
     During the night ,as I slept, the sting on my arm woke me up several times due to intense itching. I dug into it, because I honestly couldn't help it. This morning, I praise God that the effects of the sting have caused me some trouble. It is God's gracious way of reminding me to listen to His voice in the future, even through my (His?) thoughts because they are His warning and protection for me.
     The reaping what we've sown in life can serve as a reminder and protection for the future to "not ever do those things again," knowing that they have harmful effects. Although minor  in this case, it could have been catastrophic, if not for God's stopping the full effects. And, really, I don't believe we reap fully what we have sown. If we did, we would be in hell, if not for the forgiveness of God. That is the full reaping.
      In my case, although seemingly trivial, not listening to God's voice, is a sin, no matter how small. I don't want to ignore Him, and have my heart hardened, as those in the wilderness did. There is a direct result from hearing His voice, obeying it's warnings, and having not only the protection, but the peace and rest of God, because it is them that we are in union with Him and under His great banner of love.
Heb. 3:1-19.