Eyes of a Child

Sitting at a red-light the other day, I started to hear crying from our back seat and then a scream. Confused thinking something was wrong I looked in the mirror and then trend around only to find Elli starting to yell at me.  “Daddy, I don’t want you to stop.”  Honestly, I didn’t want to be stopped either, as I had been sitting there for what felt like forever waiting.  “Baby girl, I don’t have a choice, the light is red.”  For some reason I thought if I said ti calmly maybe she would understand.  Again as I have shared before trying to rationalize with a three year old doesn’t get very far.  The longer we sat there, the more she cried,  “I want to go home.”  As soon as the light turned green I was ready to go,  and that I did getting moving as fast as I could.  

Can you imagine with me if I just kept sitting there.  The light is now green and yet for some reason because I hadn’t thought through what I would do or get prepared for it, I didn’t move.  Now imagine the girls screaming, “DAD GO.”  

I continue thinking back to this moment when it comes to my prayer life. I don’t know how many messages I have heard throughout my life that speak of God answering prayers in 3 ways; yes, no, and wait.  Without a doubt there are definitely moments where God has to give us the red light, the all out stop, no go, bad idea, don’t even think about it answer.  Lets be honest, most of us hate those moments.  We want to go, to run ahead, and God is protecting you from the head on collision.  

Other times He gives us the wait.  Like I had sitting at the red light waiting upon the light to turn green.  I knew it was eventually coming, I just had to be patient.  How many of us are like Elli though, kicking and screaming about the idea of having to wait.  We don’t like the word wait in today’s culture.  We want the instant gratification, the here and now answer, or for some even the I want the answer yesterday.  What if God is saying in those moment’s you just aren’t ready yet.  I have to prepare you for what lies ahead.  Getting you to s spot in your life where you are ready to hit the gas and run.  

With a stop light we know the green is coming, correct.  What if there are times in our lives where God has made it clear that the green light is coming, and he is getting you ready.  What steps are you taking to get ready?  Are you continuing to trust Him that the green light is coming, or do you give up hope the longer you sit.  Do you get distracted by life, by your phone, by the noise, that when the light turns green instead of going, you just keep sitting.  The next thing you know the light is now red again.  

Are we so discouraged by things in your past that you now find yourself at a spot you have made up in your mind the light is never changing.  Is that how you pray?  Do you pray with a sense of hope, believing that God is going to come through or are you in the mindset that you will be stuck forever?  Are you preparing your heart, knowing the answer is coming?  What is distracting you?  

In Acts 12 Peter was imprisoned and the church earnestly prayed expecting God to move.  Waiting in anticipation, believing God for the miraculous.  Is that how we pray? In expectation of the “light to turn green” if you will.  Praying, in anticipation, expecting, preparing our hearts for when He moves!  One final thought about all this is obedience to go when the light is green to stop when the light is red, and the wisdom to know the difference. 

“So Peter was kept in prison, but the church was earnestly praying to God for him.”
‭‭Acts‬ ‭12‬:‭5‬ ‭NIV‬‬