The Clog

The weather today was BEAUTIFUL! I chatted with a co-worker coming back from lunch. Neither of us wanted to go back into a closed building on such a day.

My house was clean (if not completely tidy with the little girls there), dinner was to be provided at church at Feed Your Faith, my husband’s contractor job is almost completed, and the sun was shining. All was well with the world. (contented sigh). Well, almost.

Suddenly, the kitchen drain became locked—a severe blockage; and nothing would move in that drain—in or out. Regular people (mere humans) could not fix this problem; this clog called for professional removal—a plumber with proper extraction equipment.

Thinking about that clog painted a picture in my mind (not a pretty one). The clog had begun developing months or even years ago. I never noticed the beginning—a small deposit on the side of the pipe or in the trap. It might have been a small morsel of food or thin coating of grease (yuck). Day by day, week by week, month by month, the little obstruction grew. Other morsels or grease molecules joined themselves to the mass strengthening the clump.

It was invisible to mere human eyes. Water ran through the pipes and those of us using the sink were oblivious to a lurking, growing obstruction. All looked fine on the surface. Little by little, bit by bit, (I remember that phrase from a kid’s book) the silent villain gained in potency. Had it given some warning, steps could have been taken to deal with the impending disaster. But no foreshadowing was noticed until the surprise attack came today. Without warning—CLOG!

The picture in my mind went to our heart’s spiritual plumbing and how God’s grace is meant to flow freely to us and through us. Our hearts have been made spotlessly clean by the powerful blood of Jesus and we have a pipeline to the very throne of God through Him. Then, one day, a little morsel of bitterness or jealousy or unforgiveness attaches to our mental pipe. Grace gushing freely could wash it out, but we decide to keep just a little piece. We store it away in case the opportunity should present itself to get even.

Little by little, bit by bit, we keep other perceived offenses in our little memory box; and an obstruction is born and fed. Oh, it’s not unreasonable. We deserve a little pity party every now and then. We get over it. But the clog grows unseen and the flow of grace lessens until only a trickle can make its way through. At first, it was invisible in our lives. When the deposit has become larger, our faces get involved with fewer smiles and more frowns. Not only can God’s grace no longer flow through us, God’s love cannot get in. Nothing will move in the pipe—in or out.

It will take a professional healer with the proper extraction equipment to unclog our pipeline. It will also take a willing heart to allow the healer to remove the clog.

In the kitchen, I’m guessing the unclogging part will be ugly and smelly. You know, in our hearts, it may be the same. Nevertheless, it will be way worth it.

♫ Search me, O God and know my heart today
Try me, O Savior know my thoughts, I pray
See if there be some wicked way in me
Cleanse me from every sin
And set me free