Red Light, Green Light

By day the Lord went ahead of them in a pillar of cloud to guide them on their way and by night in a pillar of fire to give them light, so that they could travel by day or night. Neither the pillar of cloud by day nor the pillar of fire by night left its place in front of the people. ~ Exodus 13:21-22

When you were a kid, or now that you have kids, did you ever play "Red light/Green light?" The point was to get to the person yelling "red light" or "green light." The rules said you could only move when the caller yelled "green light," and as soon as they yelled "red light," you had to stop. The Holy Spirit is like that. Pastor Larry Stockstill was a guest speaker at our church the other night and he spoke on the seven branches of the Holy Spirit. He said that the fourth branch was "counsel" and that it is intended to give us clear direction. In essence, if we ask the Lord if we should proceed in any area, the Holy Spirit is our "caller," giving us a crystal clear "red light" or "green light."

Now I've experienced times when the Lord gives me a clear red or green light immediately. But other times, I have to wait. Sometimes the Lord is building my patience and my trust, to test my obedience, so He allows me to wait on an answer. I heard somebody once say that patience is the ability to have a good attitude while waiting. Psalm 27:14 says, "Wait for the Lord; be strong and take heart and wait for the Lord." The Bible is full of stories about people who made requests of the Lord. It's also filled with stories of people who waited and didn't wait. The ones who waited were rewarded and kept safe; those who didn't faced things they wouldn't have otherwise had to have faced.

What have you asked God for? What decision are you trying to make? Do you feel like you have an idea, but haven't received that crystal clear answer yet Don't move! Wait until the Lord gives you that crystal clear "yes, green light, proceed," or "no, red light, stop". He will. Just like He stayed with the Israelites as either a pillar of cloud or a pillar of fire, protecting them as they followed His guidance, He will cover you. But, we are commanded to "wait for the Lord."